South West Communications Group celebrates 30th year in business

South West Communications Group celebrated its 30th birthday with a day out at Sandy Park for Exeter Chiefs’ Premiership league game against Saracens.

As a Chiefs’ main sponsor, South West Communications Group treated more than 100 of its longest serving employees and their partners to an afternoon of corporate hospitality.

Directors, staff and guests were each given a commemorative 30th year gift and enjoyed a three-course lunch in the Chiefs Suite before watching the game from the Grandstand.

South West Communications Group was set up by chairman and director Tony Rowe after the Government announced it was going to open up the telephone market in 1982. South West Telecoms opened in Exmouth in 1983 selling business telephone systems.

Since then, the business has moved to Exeter and is now located at Communications House in Moor Lane, Sowton. The business has added further products and services to its portfolio as new technologies have evolved to include contact centre functionality, unified communications, video conferencing and Internet connectivity as well as a whole host of services provided by its purpose-built data centre.

Last year, Mr Rowe was awarded the OBE for his contribution to business and charity work and he said: “Most of our employees are Exeter Chiefs supporters, so it was a fitting way of celebrating our 30th year to thank them for all their hard work. Unfortunately, the rugby result did not go our way, but we all thoroughly enjoyed Sandy Park’s hospitality and passed a very pleasant afternoon together as colleagues and friends.”