FEATURE
Big moment - Danielle was crowned the seventh Tees Businesswoman of the Year at the Tees Businesswomen Awards 2024 .
The business really took off in 2020 when a management buy-out resulted in Danielle – just weeks after returning from maternity leave – running the business with the Martin brothers and colleague Andy Murphy .
It also coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic , which accelerated the need for a digital induction solution for industrial companies that was safer than recruits sitting together in classrooms .
“ The pandemic was obviously a terrible time , but some positive things did come out of it , and our business is an example of that . We were able to work with sites across the area and give them the answer they needed ,” explains Danielle .
It also meant Intasite was suddenly in demand not just locally but nationwide and internationally .
Danielle ’ s smile grows broader as she remembers the day Intasite won a five-year contract with Telefonica O2 – now Virgin Media O2 – to manage data centres across the country .
In the first two years after the management buy-out , Intasite saw 25 % growth , then 40 % last year , and the momentum has continued through 2024 .
PD Ports remains a valued local customer , but there are new clients in Europe , Saudi Arabia , Oman and Canada .
Budweiser , Virgin Media O2 , Hitachi Energy , EDF Renewables , Sky Studios , and Equinor are among the high-profile names on the company ’ s books .
I HAVE A WONDERFUL FAMILY AND A FANTASTIC TEAM TO WORK WITH IN A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS THAT ’ S GROWING – FROM HERE ON TEESSIDE
“ When I think about the client list , it ’ s a pinch-me moment ,” Danielle admits . “ But I ’ ll always be grateful to PD Ports because they were the first to have faith in us .”
The business now has nine employees , based in offices at Stockton ’ s Surtees Business Centre , and the aim is to expand the team next year with “ concrete plans ” for overseas expansion , particularly the Middle East .
A major contract has just been signed to supply full-site access control systems and biometric solutions , featuring facial recognition technology , for a UK company .
“ We can ’ t go into more detail yet , but it ’ s a milestone contract that moves the business into the hardware
22 | Tees Business