Top twenty position, Sunday Times Arm Tech Track
In the widely respected Sunday Times Arm Tech Track league table for 2003, Abcam secured 13th place nationally for fastest growing unquoted technology companies.
In the widely respected Sunday Times Arm Tech Track league table for 2003, Abcam secured 13th place nationally for fastest growing unquoted technology companies.
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UK staff met HRH Duke of Kent during a specially arranged visit to Abcam, one of the Cambridge Phenomenon’s brightest lights.. During his visit, the Duke got the opportunity to improve his knowledge of antibodies by meeting and talking with staff from across the company. His visit included a tour of the laboratory which carries out purification, characterisation and quality assurance. |
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Abcam established its first permanent foothold outside the UK with the opening of offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The move reflected the growing importance of overseas trade to the company and the rapid expansion of its international customer base.
By the time of the opening a large proportion of orders were coming from the USA: it was recognised that existing levels of customer service needed to be further increased and that the barriers associated with purchasing goods from outside the USA should be removed.
One of the major challenges associated with the opening of the new office was the decision to build an integrated intranet-based stock management, customer relationship management and order processing system. The in-house designed package manages both customer demand and supplier stock across both the UK and USA operations from a single database. It gave Abcam an immediate and unique competitive advantage, a point not missed by a fast growing customer base.
Cambridge, MA was an easy choice. The area is home to a cluster of world-leading bioscience and pharmaceutical companies and lies close to world renowned educational institutions including MIT, Harvard and the Whitehead Institute.
Jim holds a degree in Computer Science from Christ’s College, Cambridge University. From 1986 to 2003 he worked for Analysys Ltd, a Cambridge based telecoms consultancy, heading up their IT, software and web development initiatives. During this period he also held a number of external non-exec directorships including Workbench Software Ltd, a start-up with a targeted software package for time recording systems and VBN Ltd, a web-based hosting company specialising in business cluster and innovation network solutions. Jim joined Abcam in 2001 as Technical Director, initially part time then full time from 2003. He has overseen the expansion of Abcam’s bespoke web-based systems.
Having narrowly missed out on top honours in 2002, Abcam went one better in 2003 by wining the Small Business category at Cambridge Evening News’ Business Excellence Awards. Against tough opposition across the eastern region, Abcam showed the imagination, innovation, product quality, customer service, marketing and management skills required to make it stand out from the other eleven companies nominated in the same category.
Abcam moved just 200 metres to its new home on the Cambridge Science Park. At 6,500 sq ft, the new premises is twice the size of the company’s former unit and positive proof of Abcam’s sustained growth over the previous three years.
An impressive growth in turnover of 1,450 % between 1999 and 2001 enabled Abcam to scoop third place in the prestigious Fast 50 programme for the UK’s eastern region. The recruitment and hard work of a highly skilled workforce and the enormous market potential for antibody reagents created by the human genome project are noted by the company as two key reasons for its continued success.
Rapid business growth led the company to review and improve its web-based ordering and distribution process. Working with its existing logistics partner FedEx, a new automated system was developed that allowed Abcam’s customers to access all of FedEx’s services direct from Abcam’s website. While customers benefited from a faster, more streamlined order processing system, Abcam was able to increase shipping capacity by more than 300% without the need for additional manpower.
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Jim Warwick joins Abcam as Technical Director.
Jim holds a degree in Computer Science from Christ’s College, Cambridge University. From 1986 to 2003 he worked for Analysys Ltd, a Cambridge based telecoms consultancy, heading up their IT, software and web development initiatives. During this period he also held a number of external non-exec directorships including Workbench Software Ltd, a start-up with a targeted software package for time recording systems and VBN Ltd, a web-based hosting company specialising in business cluster and innovation network solutions. Jim joined Abcam in 2001 as Technical Director, initially part time then full time from 2003. He has overseen the expansion of Abcam’s bespoke web-based systems.