A North East customer communications business is set to double in size and create 160 new jobs in Sunderland on the back of a major contract win.

Pallion-based Paragon Customer Communications (PCC), which offers outsourced mail processing, has seen business boom over the last year, triggering the recruitment drive to help it serve a number of new customers.

PCC has secured a number of new deals, including one significant new client that will see it quickly scale to support its needs.

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The company expects to have 320 people at the Sunderland site by the end of 2022, with the recruitment drive including a range of operational roles including team leaders, supervisors and operations staff as well IT and account management roles.

Steve Pollard, site director at PCC Sunderland, said: “We’re thrilled to be expanding, having grown our client base considerably over the last few years.

“As many firms explore ways of improving efficiency and, actually, improving compliance when it comes to dealing with physical and email correspondence from their customers, we are growing our reputation as a trusted partner and a cost-effective solution to meet this need.

“We’re very proud of the growth we have seen, and that is in no small part down to the talent of our existing team – many of whom have been with us a long time and have grown their careers with Paragon.

“We’re hopeful of attracting more bright talent, who will enjoy the same rewarding workplace where they can grow with us.”

Mr Pollard said Paragon has a particular strength in supporting businesses that are looking to outsource mail processing that requires ‘human’ intervention and insight, which includes dealing with correspondence that requires judgement-based decision-making, or further investigation that cannot be digitised or automated.

He said: “We’re trusted by clients because we have a thorough, experienced team, who work to service level agreements that mean we provide a really exceptional level of care and support.”

Coun Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said that Paragon Customer Communications was one of the city’s ‘under the radar’ success stories, that deserves more credit for its transformation.

He said: “It’s a real success story, and I am delighted that PCC will continue to create more jobs and opportunities in Sunderland – a base that has served them well so far and that we hope will continue to do so for many years to come as they scale their business.”

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