Shredding firm cutting a dash with new landmark

Director James Howard (second left) at the official re-branding ceremony for Yorkshire Payments, with operations director Vikki Oakley, Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker, who performed the ceremony, and Eric Binns (right), business enterprise officer at Calderdale Council

“Bernadette was working on a part-time basis helping me run the company, but it got to the stage where she had to come into the CARD payment specialist has launched a new brand identity in readiness for further expansion.

Over the past 12 months, Brighouse-based Yorkshire Payments has expanded its client base by more than 20% and transacted a record £470m through its card payment systems.

The firm now has more than 3,000 clients across Yorkshire and is on track to increase this to more than 3,500 by the end of 2018.

Founder James Howard also hinted that the company may create new jobs with a “high street” presence in Brighouse.

He said: “We have big plans for the business over the next few years, including creating further jobs locally and the possibility of establishing a high street presence with a building to accommodate our expanding team and customer base.”

The firm has continued to flourish in line with the increasing use of debit and credit cards as payment methods over the past year.

Statistics published in June by banking trade body UK Finance revealed that debit card payments outstripped cash payments for the company and is now a director.

“She gave up her previous role in the NHS as an administrator for a team of midwives.” first time in 2017.

Mr Howard said businesses that do not offer card payment options could be missing out on vital sales.

“Our own business growth – compounded by UK Finance figures reporting that 13.2bn debit card payments were made last year, a 14% increase on 2016 – shows that paying by card continues to increase in popularity.

“Businesses that are not set up to process card transactions are putting themselves on the back foot when it comes to cashing in on an increasingly cashless society.”

He said: “It’s essential that businesses are set up with a variety of payment methods so their customers can choose to pay the way that best suits them, and avoid missing out on all-important sales.”

Yorkshire Payments, formed in 2013 by Mr Howard, employs 24 people at its head office in Brighouse.

The firm recently signed a two-year, five figure deal to become the first ever training and leisurewear kit sponsor for Bradford City FC. It is also the main sponsor for Halifax-born professional mixed martial arts fighter George Smith.

Go Shred now has customers across the whole of the M62 corridor from Merseyside to the Humber with the vast majority of its clients in the Huddersfield and Halifax areas, Manchester, Oldham and Leeds.

Its latest customer satisfaction survey showed a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 93%. NPS measures customer experience and predicts business growth.

Mike said: “The industry is changing. The large shredding companies have not been able to sustain the organic growth required by their shareholders and they have made acquisitions.

“That has reduced competition and we have been a beneficiary as customers seek an alternative to the ‘big boys.’”

Mike said Go Shred had seen “a bit of growth” as a result of the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which had raised the profile of securing and correctly disposing of confidential information.

“All the publicity around GDPR has made people more aware of their responsibilities,” he said.

He said the company aimed to adhere to three principles – to permanently strive for perfection; to work to the highest attainable security standards; and to operate and grow sustainably with the highest of ethics.