A leading technology firm has celebrated the loyalty of its workforce as dedicated employee’s clock up a collective 180 years at the firm.

The staff at Barron McCann, in Derby, have received recognition for their commitment to the business, ranging from 17 years to more than three decades of service.

The seven employees, representing various roles across the organisation, have each contributed to Barron McCann’s growth and success, demonstrating an unwavering dedication to the company and to supporting its clients throughout the firm’s 47-year history.

The number of long serving employees also reflects the family culture which is one of the greatest strengths of the business. 

One of the longest serving members is executive chairman and owner of the Barron McCann group of companies, Alan Watson, who joined in 1994.

Alan said: “I’m incredibly proud of Barron McCann’s journey. When I first joined the original Burton-on-Trent office we had fewer than 100 employees, we have now grown to a group of companies employing almost 600 people, headquartered at our state-of-the-art Derby site.

Our long-serving team members are at the heart of this success and it’s an honour to celebrate their dedication, hopefully inspiring the next generation of long servers.”

Dawn Shuttlewood is the UK, Ireland and EU service delivery manager and has worked at the firm for 27 years.

She said: “Every day is different; I feel a great sense of achievement if I have made something better, but most importantly for me, the people make this company great, and that is from the top down. I have always felt valued and appreciated and that’s not a given in every company.”

Finance director Mini Johal has worked at Barron McCann for 22 years. She said: “When I started here in 2002, as a wee nipper, we did accounts in a paper ledger book and Aadam – the management accountant – had just been born.

Barron McCann is like a family – there are disagreements, tears and laughter. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The firm is an independent provider of IT maintenance, installations and managed services for companies including Pets at Home, Iceland and Papa Johns and has recently expanded its services into the electric vehicle (EV) charging sector.

The company provides IT field services across 17 countries, ensuring equipment is available and fully operational for firms in the retail, education, hospitality, banking and travel sectors.

Mark Shelton, head of client accounts and service design, has clocked up 20 years at the firm after starting as an apprentice.

He said: “I’ve had multiple roles here, so I didn’t need to leave to progress up the career ladder; it just happened organically.”

The Barron McCann group of companies has gone through a period of growth over the past 12 months, now boasting a collective revenue of £50m and offering a diverse array of services.

These include charity retail solutions, managed services, remote monitoring, retail software, field service engineering, hardware consultancy/resale and expert HR and employment law advisory solutions.  

Managing director Scott Watson said: “It’s rare to see this level of commitment and loyalty in any industry. We are incredibly grateful for the hard work and dedication shown by these valued members of the Barron McCann family.

Their combined 180 years of service have helped shape the company we are today, and their expertise continues to drive us forward.”