Shrewsbury agency plans growth in 'Silicon Salopia'
A digital marketing agency is expecting to double its Shropshire workforce to more than 100 in the next 18 months after moving into new offices.
Croud has offices in London, New York and Sydney, but retains its central operation in Shrewsbury, where it first launched a little over five years ago.
Now it has expanded in the town for the second time, opening offices in the former home of Shropshire Council on Abbey Lawn Business Park.
The company employs more than 50 people in Shrewsbury, with similar amounts elsewhere around the world, and is now expecting to continue to grow in the town where it set up for the first time, with two people working from an office in Claremont Bank.
"This is as much about Shrewsbury as it is about Croud, and we thank the town for welcoming us," co-founder Luke Smith told staff and invited guests at a launch event attended by the Mayor of Shrewsbury Ioan Jones, MP Daniel Kawczynski and Shropshire Chamber of Commerce president Peter Guy.
"We have plans to continue to develop and bring on jobs for local people in the town, and opportunities in other cities," he added. "The local talent we are bringing in here are going to places all over the world, to our London, New York and Sydney offices.
"You've heard of Silicon Valley and Silicon Roundabout – well we've coined the phrase Silicon Salopia."
The company has worked with lingerie company Victoria's Secret, looked after marketing for television streaming giant Netflix when it launched in the UK, and has worked with the likes of Hiscox and Moss Bros.
Visitors to the event were shown the latest augmented reality products, and shown around the new offices – which include a large mural of Charles Darwin wearing a video headset.
Co-founder Ben Knight added: "There's an incredible talent base here, and we have a workforce that is incredibly committed. I would hope in 18 months to have 100 people here.
"If you look in London, staff stay with an agency for an average of 14 months. We have a 94 per cent staff retention rate. People stay, people car, people are committed and we can get the best of the best here because Shrewsbury is an exciting place to work."
