Secret of Kell’s success is hidden behind closed doors

2:18pm Monday 23rd January 2006

When the boss of Kell Systems in Marlow got an order enquiry from one of the founders of the mighty Microsoft he knew his business was made.

Since then he's received orders for his soundproofed server enclosure system from the likes of the US Department of Energy, US Department of Defence, Air Traffic Control, Scotland Yard, Hertz, J Walter Thompson, BBC and ITN to name a few.

Of all the orders he has received so far it was the personal one from Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft who wanted a rosewood cabinet for a server stored in his Hawaii living room, that has meant so much.

Managing director Tim Walsh, 45, is reeling from orders such as this because although he knew the IT cooling cabinets he masterminded are a great idea, he is knocked out that the big boys are knocking on his door at Dedmere Road, Marlow.

The unassuming entrepreneur, who started business life as a sound engineer, conceived, developed and produced the highly innovative, Kell Server a specialised cabinet which allows businesses to keep their noisy servers and other equipment in the normal working environment instead of having them in expensive purpose built air-conditioned store rooms. He even has one that looks like a drinks cabinet and is small enough for a board room.

"It took us two years' intensive research and development to create a good-looking, soundproofed and cooled rack enclosure that eliminates 96 per cent of server noise," he says, "but the effort was worth it, and the demand has been very exciting. We've shipped units all across the world, including Russia, Bali, Hong Kong, many European countries and the US."

It's one of the reasons the company has just won a prestigious business award. Kell beat 450 other hopefuls around the UK keen for NatWest's Startup award for 'Manufacturing Business of the Year.

The judges, who included Friends Reunited CEO Michael Murphy, a former managing director of the Bucks Free Press, and Coffee Republic founder Sahar Haschemi, were impressed by the company's achievements. As they said, "A new market for stylish and quiet space-saving server cabinets has been opened up by Kell Systems' inventive and original product. The business has exceeded all initial targets and has signed up some very large prestigious accounts."

The product started life as housing for audio visual equipment but Mr Walsh and his colleagues spotted a niche in the market when they had an enquiry from an American university to build discreet housing for its computer server with good cooling and effective soundproofing. Kell produced it and realised other organisations might want them too.

"Until we came along there wasn't much people could do to hide away noisy computer equipment. The alternative to spending £20,000 on a storeroom was having hot noisy devices hanging around in the office. The £2,000 or so for our cabinets are much cheaper than building a server room," he said.

His friend, Sara Jones, 33, who worked for the internet services provider Bulldog, conducted research and confirmed the product opportunity. He formed the business with Sara, partly funded from the sale of his Kensington flat.

Sara handles marketing for the business which is private equity funded and receives advice from Thames Valley Business Advisors.

Since the beginning, they have reacted to need and enquiry and have developed a good catalogue of over 4,000 products which are manufactured in the West County and come in a multitude of sizes. Audio visual products are still produced but the computer server housing has the lions' share of their new and expanding business.