Home Manufacturing & Industry Gateshead’s Advantex improves connectivity at leading hospitality sector supplier

Gateshead’s Advantex improves connectivity at leading hospitality sector supplier

Advantex’s Scott Duncan (left) and Grahame Barwick at IG Group’s facilities in Peterlee, County Durham

A North East technology specialist has completed an undisclosed contract to supply ultrafast Wi-Fi connectivity to support growth at the UK’s largest independent supplier of non-food consumables, paper disposables and janitorial products.

Gateshead-based Advantex has improved the reliability and speed of internet connectivity at IG Group’s facilities in Peterlee, County Durham. These buildings provide more than 135,000 sq. ft. of industrial space and distribute thousands of pallets of products each week to pub and hospitality customers across the country.

The company has invested in improved Wif-Fi to boost its supply chain operations as it moves to meet the strong demand for its range of tableware, kitchenware, glassware, and cleaning chemicals and equipment post pandemic.

The first tech installation, completed earlier in 2022, saw Advantex supply a Cisco Meraki cloud-based Wi-Fi system together with advanced new switching technology running on secure fibre optic cabling across IG Group’s warehouse operations. A similar project has also been recently completed in a second round of work at the firm’s main headquarters in Peterlee to support further growth and expansion.


Investment in a new Wi-Fi system will deliver efficiency savings, improve real-time order fulfilment and visibility, and boost productivity – ultimately reducing operational costs and better track warehouse assets in real time.

The project is the latest success for Follingsby Park-based Advantex, which provides a host of IT and connectivity services to manufacturing and commercial companies across the North East.

Currently employing 50 people and targeting a £6 million turnover this year, the firm continues to see growth on the back of new product and service introductions, investment in a highly skilled workforce and a strong pipeline of orders for the next 12 months.

Grahame Barwick, technical services director at IG Group, said the company had invested in scalable technology solutions to secure its current and future operational requirements.

He said: “Advantex impressed with their service, knowledge and rapid grasp of our requirements as we invest and look to secure efficiency savings. They have delivered a quality, cost-effective and robust Wi-Fi solution that meets our current requirements and anticipated future needs.”

Advantex’s business development manager Scott Duncan said: “This is another important project for us, showcasing our expertise in turning around major projects quickly and working with clients long-term to meet their strategic technology requirements.

“We are seeing strong demand from our industrial clients as they look to migrate to the latest digital technologies to secure better connectivity and efficiency savings.”