Customer Stories: Secure Technology Solutions Limited

Secure Technology Solutions Ltd is a leading value added distributor of software and turnkey security solutions for corporate and government markets. We spoke to Justin Barrett, the founder of STSL, about how he started the company, what they are currently working on, and what they like about being based at The Nucleus.

1. How did you start your company?

I started out in 2013 from home. Having work in the access control sector for 20 years (latterly with Lenel) I decided to leave gainful employment to set up my own business based on opportunities I’d spotted and the great connections I’d built up over the years.

It was also important to me to run a business based on my own philosophy rather than someone else’s.

This eventually lead to my joining forces with John and Jason my business partners with whom I enjoy a very democratic and synergistic working relationship; we have very different but very complimentary skills.

2. What are you working on at the moment?

There’s a whole lot going on. We have developed and are deploying a self-service kiosk to corporate customers. The kiosk takes away the big headache of having to issue new and replacement building access cards but automating the process. We have come up with clever ways of having staff securely self-authenticate to trigger instant production of new cards.

We are also developing an outsourced card service for companies that don’t need their own kiosk, where they can just remotely authenticate recipients and request cards for delivery the next day.

In addition, we are growing our product distribution footprint as the sole UK distributor for Lenel and a gold level partner of HID.

We currently work with over 100 resellers and are improving our service to them, with upgrades to our bespoke portal which allows them to configure systems and pricing; kind of like customizing a computer online before you buy it.

Overall, we are working to build our reputation as an added value security technology provider with deep technical and industry knowledge.

3. What do you like about The Nucleus?

The Nucleus has allowed us to grow in a controlled manner, managing cost with flexible office space. It has helped us to grow to our current 12 employees. It’s also great to have the additional facilities like the Cafe and meeting rooms where we can host clients.

The support of the Nucleus staff has also been really useful for our business, from general business advice to understanding opportunities in the market place.

4. What projects/ambitions do you have for the future of your company?

Over the next 3-5 years we expect our bespoke solutions to have gained strong penetration in the market place with a lot of FTSE 100 customers. We intend to triple turnover in that time and we are considering strategic acquisitions.

Underpinning this is our commitment to building a sustainable, dynamic and exciting business.

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