A SECURITY company, which helps keep employees safe in countries across the world, has relocated to a larger premises in Christchurch.

To celebrate its expansion, Anvil invited former war correspondent Kate Adie to its new site in Grange Road for its official opening ceremony.

The company supports global brands including Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Barclays, Hewlett Packard, BBC, and Sky News, by monitoring emerging threats and live incidents around the world and alerting individuals who could be affected by these events through sophisticated software that tracks their whereabouts.

Matthew Judge, group managing director of Anvil, said the company’s expansion had been “huge” over the last five years.

“Events around the world, such as natural disasters, conflicts, and terrorist attacks, are more prevalent now than they have been before and are much more unpredictable. People are travelling more and further afield now. Corporations are also going further afield, taking advantage of new and emerging economies where they can create the most commercial value and profit and, therefore, we need to support those businesses.

“They’re looking to us to safeguard their commercial operations and their employees, to enable them to continue to do business no matter what happens around the world.”

The company, which was formerly based at Hello House in Somerford Road, is now at the BAE Systems site.

It currently employs around 60 personnel at its headquarters, several of whom have had former careers in the armed forces and intelligence services, but is looking to recruit new members of staff as part of its expansion.

Mr Judge explained how the company’s services supported the work of news organisations and journalists.

“There are a lot of synergies between Kate Adie’s career and our organisation. Our offices are effectively our news studios to our clients, and our research analysts, intelligence operatives, consultants and assistant analysts provide that alerting mechanism to a corporation.

“While we’re not considered to be on the frontline in terms of world conflicts, we’re certainly seen as that first layer of defence by our clients, protecting their commercial interests and their employees.”

On average, the company releases approximately 300 alerts a day, responding to protests, geopolitical issues, natural disasters, road closures and plane strikes. “Anything that’s going to impact business continuity,” Mr Judge added.

Addressing staff members after cutting the ribbon at the new premises, Ms Adie wished the company good luck in their new offices.

“We lived in a very different age when I started working. I come from a business where we never thought about the risk, just how to get the story - the BBC sent us to the first Gulf War and forgot to get us insurance. “Risk is a preoccupation with lots of organisations now. People like to assess danger for good, solid reasons.

“I wish the company good luck with all their work,” she added.