The ProAktive Group was created through the merger of three Yorkshire operations - Atkinson Smith, J Rixon Matthews & Appleyard and DE Ford Insurance Brokers Seeking 10% growth, the group is targeting SMEs with its health and safety service.
COMPANY NAME: ProAktive Group Ltd
ADDRESSES:
Atkinson Smith Ltd,
Sidings Court, White Rose Way,
Doncaster
DN4 5NU
TEL: 01302 346810
FAX: 01302 341282
EMAIL: info@atkinsonsmith.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.atkinsonsmith.co.uk
Rixon Matthews Appleyard Ltd
Exchange Court, Lowgate
Hull
HU1 1XW
TEL: 01482 327605
FAX: 01482 225666
Email: info@rixon-insurance.co.uk
Website: www.rixon-insurance.co.uk
DE Ford Insurance Brokers Ltd
Poppleton Grange
Low Poppleton Lane
York
Y026 6GZ
TEL: 01904 784141
FAX: 01904 790880
EMAIL: info@deford.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.deford.co.uk
FINANCIAL STATISTICSThe combined premium income of the three brokers is around £40m and in 2003 they generated a combined pre-tax profit of about £1.5m.
KEY CONTACTSGroup managing director Jon Whiteley
TEL: 01302 346802
FAX: 01302 344430
EMAIL: jonwhiteley@atkinsonsmith.co.uk
GENERAL INFORMATIONProAktive has a total of 116 staff across the three locations of its member brokers.
MINI INTERVIEWProAktive was formed on 3 September this year when three independent Yorkshire brokers - Atkinson Smith, DE Ford and Rixon Matthews Appleyard - merged.The new group managing director Jon Whiteley said: "We saw the benefits of a larger group from joint initiatives such as compliance with FSA regulations, shared marketing campaigns, people development, business improvement processes and critical mass."It has a growing health and safety department with three dedicated staff and an expanding administration team. The service is aimed at SMEs and has become a significant marketing tool for the group.Whiteley said ProAktive was aiming for 10% growth on its top line, all to come from new business."This health and safety initiative is, interestingly, a model for the way we see our approach," said Whiteley, "The emphasis of the ProAktive Group is on matching people's talents and aspirations with their roles. Our success is being achieved through commitment, innovation and continuous improvement."Now that ProAktive is up and running as a single entity, its three members are working together for a group IT solution and are close to making this a reality.
SURPRISING FACTProAktive takes a rather different view of the advantages to be gained from M&A activity with other brokers. Instead of building scale to use its clout in the market to improve commission rates, ProAktive sees its growing size and its own development and efficiencies as the best tool for cutting the cost of delivery. Whiteley said: "The only philosophy is to be the best employer in insurance. As far as we can see, the job is fairly simple."
