It’s almost a year since IT service provider Layer8 was officially incorporated as a separate limited company, but did you know, the business actually has over 30 years-experience as the IT backbone of multi-disciplinary engineering company Spencer Group.
Here we take a look back at the last 30 years and some of the pivotal moments which shaped Layer8 into the business it is today.
Humble beginnings – 90’s and 2000’s
Layer8 started life as the in-house IT provider to multi-disciplinary engineering firm, Spencer Group.
Founded in 1989 by Charlie Spencer OBE with just two employees, Spencer Group initially had fairly rudimentary IT services, with a large reliance on traditional pen and paper over computers, typical of many other small businesses at the time.
As the business grew over the next decade and the use of computers became more common, a Business Administration Assistant role was created to oversee the growing IT provisions. Additional team members were gradually introduced, forming a small team of dedicated IT assistants by the early 2000’s.
One of the first big turning points in Spencer Group’s IT operations was the introduction of the company’s own collaborative web-based communication, document control, and project management platform, Spencer Online System (SOS) in 2007.
The introduction of this integrated digital framework brought together internal operations and project management to control design documents, track workflows, and manage communications, creating a more streamlined work management system which is still used today.
A decade of growth – 2010’s
The real growth of Spencer Group’s IT provision began in the early 2010’s which saw the development of a fully-fledged IT team.
Now Managing Director, Paul Biggin, joined the team in 2013 as an IT Support Technician. He quickly progressed up the ranks becoming an IT Field Manager and subsequently IT Support Supervisor.
Recalling those early days, Paul said: “When I joined the team, I think there were about 5 of us, and within about a year or two, the team really ballooned, doubling in size to about 10 people.
“Spencer Group was growing rapidly at the time, with more project sites needing set up and more office-based staff, so the IT team expanded to meet that need. Over the next few years, we saw site kits being developed, and a more pro-active approach being taken to IT services within the business.”
As Spencer Group continued to grow, the business took the decision to bring all of its departments under one roof, consolidating the business into one headquarters. The IT team was previously based at the former Spencer Group offices on Livingstone Road in Hessle along with the HR, development and training teams, but moved into their current home at Humber Quays in 2014.
It was during the 2010’s that the IT team also transitioned into a more formal structure, with sub-teams created to manage helpdesk, services and infrastructure.
The road to Layer8 – 2020’s – now
During the early 2020’s Spencer Group’s IT team faced one of its biggest challenges to date – mobilising over 300 users to work from home during the Covid 19 pandemic. The team worked around the clock to enable colleagues to work efficiently from home during the lockdowns.
During this time the IT team also upgraded all of the conference rooms to allow high-quality, reliable video conferencing, which has remained an integral part of Spencer Group’s operations today.
In 2023, Paul stepped in to the role of Managing Director, and brought with him a fresh new approach, recognising the talent and knowledge of his team and the potential his colleagues had to expand and offer services externally.
Paul soon began to work on his ambitions of taking his fantastic team into a fully fledged business in its own right, and after successfully pitching the idea to Spencer Group’s CEO Charlie Spencer OBE, began the hard work to launch Layer8 and secure its first clients.
Paul’s personal highlight
While there have been many highlights over the years, Paul says there is one project in particular which stands out from the rest.
He said: “Spencer Group carried out a major multi-disciplinary rail project to remodel Gravesend Station in Kent in 2013, which is a career highlight for me.
“The IT team provided 24/7 support throughout a significant part of the project during the Christmas period. It was a project which the entire company was involved with and is something which I’m still proud of today.”
Looking to the future
Layer8 is now looking to the future and continuing to grow its team, with the creation of two first-line support roles and a business apprentice role.
Speaking about the business’s next steps, Paul said: “Security is one of our main priorities, and we’re constantly developing our approach to security, taking a very proactive approach and constantly assessing potential vulnerabilities and areas for improvement.
“We know AI is also a constantly evolving area, and we’re continuing to develop our guidelines to implement AI safely and securely and support our service users to have the tools and understanding to use it effectively.”
