The chief executive of fast growing Taverham-based healthcare company Norvic said the company's 'aggressive expansion' since 2010 had been planned.

Taverham based Norvic Ambulance has opened a new base in Bristol having secured work in the West Country and also has plans to open a base on the South Coast.

The company doubled its turnover to �3.6m for the calendar year 2011 and has ambitious plans for future growth.

But the scale of growth comes after the company reduced staff pay last year.

Norvic was bought by Elijah Adeyemi, Steve Brundle and John Banbury in July 2010 and since then it has seen a month-on-month growth in turnover.

The firm has won major contracts and carried out acquisitions, expansion into Papworth and Colchester and launched three new sister companies late last year.

Norvic Group's chief executive Mr Banbury, said 'Our growth has been quite aggressive, but it has been planned. And we've got excellent people and processes in place to cope with even more demand. Launching Norvic Academy, Norvic Medical and Norvic Security in recent months is all part of our strategy to diversify within the independent healthcare sector so as not to become overly reliant on any one business or any single customer.'

Norvic's core business Norvic Ambulance was awarded a three-year contract from the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) last April. It acquired another private ambulance company based near Papworth and opened a Colchester base.

The company has also developed services such as emergency rapid response vehicles, ECMO transport and mental health transfers as well as increasing the number of bariatric patients it transports.

Lee Barham was appointed as the firm's new clinical director in July and he has since been promoted to managing director. The ambulance business now employs more than 150 staff.

As well as launching training company Norvic Academy and first aid and event medicine company Norvic Medical, Norvic Security was launched to offer event organisers a combined package of medical and security cover. Norvic now employs more than 200 staff with planned turnover for 2012 set at �5.5m.

Mr Banbury said: 'Running a business in today's climate certainly has its challenges, and we had to make a difficult decision last year to reduce staff pay so that we remained competitive and ensure we had a sustainable future. This has not deterred our plans for growth, and we expect to recruit a further 50+ people throughout the eastern region in the coming months, plus taking on new staff in Bristol.

Anyone interested to find out more about the company and what we have to offer, can come along to one of our 2012 Open Days – the next one is on Saturday, 14 April at our Taverham HQ just outside Norwich from 10am to 2pm.