Cape-based e-learning company and Technology Top 100 finalist, Bridge People and Technology (Bridge PT), is set to increase its European presence with the opening of offices in Italy and France.
According to Gary Galanti, Bridge PT`s sales and marketing director, the company has generated a 100% increase in turnover from 2002 and a 30% increase in profit.
"E-learning is becoming a mainstream form of education internationally. Companies are starting to realise that their e-business infrastructures can be used as a cost-effective staff training solution," says Galanti.
"SAP is a major proponent of e-business software and Italy is the fastest growing SAP market in Europe. Since one of our core business areas is to provide training support on SAP implementations, the opening of offices in Milan, Italy`s IT hub, makes perfect business sense."
He says Bridge PT already has an established presence in France due to its long-term relationship with UNESCO, an existing client that is headquartered in Paris.
"Our French office has been opened in order to manage this key account and to pursue sales leads that are generated as a result of this training implementation," he says.
Both offices will be managed by Bridge PT co-founder, Mark Bennett.
"Our plan for 2004 is to establish ourselves in both markets during the course of the year. We already have a steady prospective client base in Italy and will be starting a pilot project with the Rome municipality by the end of this year," states Galanti.
"Our long-term plans are to become both the dominant e-learning software and consulting firm in SA and well recognised as a major player in the world markets."
He says the company`s growth thus far has been organic, and that for the foreseeable future he sees this continuing, although he says Bridge PT will consider acquisition-driven growth if the right circumstances arise.
Aside from the French and Italian offices, Bridge PT also has an existing presence in the UK through a partnership agreement with an established consulting firm, and the organisation plans to soon open another European office - this time in Germany - before tackling the US market.
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