My Business Life: Keith Young, ATC

Keith Young, CEO of ATC, shares his life and business lessons.

ATC Computer Transport & Logistics recently unveiled a landmark investment of €22.5m over five years to support its companywide ‘Driving Green Strategy’ including the ongoing transition of its HGV fleet from traditional combustion engines to battery-electric power.

The specialist transport and logistics business has set a target of achieving net zero status by 2030.

ATC Computer Transport & Logistics (ATC) is a leading Irish company providing highly specialised transport, logistics, and technical services to hyperscale data centre operators, global freight forwarders, co-location providers and Software as a Service (SaaS) companies worldwide. Founded 45 years ago by Alan and Patricia Young and now led by their son Keith Young, ATC is an Irish family-owned business with a global outlook.

Headquartered in Dublin, ATC has a footprint across Europe and New Zealand. ATC also has offices in London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Frankfurt, employing over 250 people from over 31 nationalities.

As the company and industry have grown, ATC has carved a niche and expanded beyond its initial transportation offering. The business now provides a full suite of data centre services, ranging from certified secure warehousing, pre-cabling, cabling, server rack, and hardware installation to the refreshing, decommissioning, removal, and recycling of obsolete equipment in the most environmentally responsible way possible.

For over 40 years, ATC has implemented award-winning practices to reduce emissions and was one of the first companies in Europe to be accredited with the Green TruckSafe Standard from the Freight Transport Association Ireland (FTAI).

What is your background? What journey did you take to arrive where you are?

While I grew up in ATC, I knew that I needed to have my own career and various experiences before returning to the family. So, at around 24, I was ready to do that. I was always a techie, a nerd even, and when I had the chance to move to London and work for Apple as a Mac Genius, I jumped at it. I worked with a super team, and I learned that work can be challenging and fun at the same time.

I moved back to Ireland just after the recession. In 2010, I was part of the edtech startup Wriggle: Your Digital Schoolbag, which is still going strong today. Matching my techie nature with education kicked off a career diversion to academia. I completed a Master’s in Education Management at DCU and a PhD in Mobile Learning at Maynooth University. Around 2017, I returned part-time to the business as we launched our Frankfurt Region. After my thesis was submitted in Feb 2019, I came back full-time.

Why are you doing what you are doing? What need are you meeting? What’s your USP?

ATC provides transport and technical services to data centre operators, helping streamline the final mile of their supply chains and get server equipment into their data centres and earning money. While our clients include global tech corporations, we see them first and foremost as friends and colleagues.

This perspective stems from our deep roots as a family business, where pride in our work goes hand in hand with personal commitment to the safety and security of our team. ATC sets itself apart from competitors based on customer experience, safety, security, sustainability, and quality.

How did you fund and start the business and what are your growth plans?

My father, Alan, and my late mother, Patricia, started the business from scratch with a passion for delivering service with a personal touch. 45 years ago, the business was born in the family garage; we’ve grown steadily by reinvesting profits, focusing on quality, and delivering on clients’ needs, whatever they were.

Our current growth and expansion into Green Logistics has come through a partnership with Bank of Ireland, who are helping to support our five-year investment in driving the company toward Net zero 2030.

What are your key skills and qualities that set you apart?

Always a tricky question to answer while staying humble! I know that this is a service business. We can only build it with people, so I put a lot of effort into the company’s culture. I’m proud that as the business has grown 3x in three years, we’ve held that culture at the heart of the business. I believe that we should aspire for our colleagues to get something out of their time here, such as the stability to buy a house or start a family or the funding for further education. I take a lot of pride in seeing people develop. For good or ill, attention to detail is one of my strengths.

What (or whom) has helped you most along the way? Who was your greatest mentor/inspiration?

Margaret in DCU and Beryl Furlong, director of Wriggle, were two strong women who helped me in very different ways in my career. I’m where I am today because of both of them. From my parents, I learned the value of hard work, and from my Dad, the determination to succeed when perhaps not everyone believes you can. My Grandfather also impressed upon me the value of good manners and being polite – it’s neglected a lot these days. Still, it really shines out of people when you see it.

What was the greatest piece of business advice you ever received?

Trust in yourself and your team.

What circumstances/qualities/events can mark the difference between success or failure in life or business?

At ATC, we have found that customers who require the services you offer not only value you and your company, but are also eager to grow with you. Every new service we offer or region we serve is as a result of the trusting, mutually beneficial relationships we’ve built.

What was the most challenging aspect of either starting or growing the business?

Time! It could be time to spend on strategy, structure, and relationships with the Board or customers. Then, personally, you need to invest in your family and friends because they carry you through tough times.

How did you navigate your business through the pandemic, and what lessons did you learn?

The pandemic really hurt many people, and we saw two different economies. For us, we were never busier, and the trajectory of our business tilted upwards as the migration to the cloud accelerated. Moving to remote working for our traditional office staff was easy thanks to our IT systems. For our field teams and long-distance drivers, they really did the hardest part of the job. For our drivers, they stayed away from home for up to four months at the start to keep their families safe while they kept this business moving. We would not have successfully navigated the pandemic without them. It’s moments like these where we see the real value of those relationships and team cohesion that keeps us moving forward.

How has digital transformation been a factor in your scaling journey? Do you believe Irish firms are utilising digital technologies sufficiently?

We’re getting to grips with it, alongside a new IT team and migrating to new platforms, but it’s hard work. Our team is willing to embrace any innovation that makes work easier, so our limitation is the development speed. We have a visionary leader in place now, so the pace is accelerating. On the flip side, I can see how many Irish companies are struggling without that internal champion with the vision and drive to imagine a better way of working. I think ‘off the shelf’ digital transformations will consistently over-promise and under-deliver.

What would you do differently if you were to do it all over again?

I think we’ve outstanding Operations teams and leaders. Still, I’d promote people faster and work on the structures to support them sooner. Separately, business development is something we could have done better on.

Who inspires you in business today?

Satya Nadella, chair and CEO of Microsoft, has been one of the most inspirational leaders in a large company for me. He transformed the business and recognised that the product that brought them this far would not be the ones to take the next step. I admire how he shifted his focus towards future products and services. In small to medium businesses, I’m inspired by the German’ Mittelstand’ companies who focus on being the best in their class, building a community with their employees, and having an export (or even global) focus for their products or services.

What advice/guidance do you give new hires, and how do you nurture talent in your organisation?

Work as a team, avoid solo runs, focus on the details, work hard, and ask for support. On the way in, we have several apprenticeship programmes. On the inside, we have custom leadership programmes with the Irish Management Institute to fund and support people who want to study relevant further and higher qualifications.

What business books do you read or would recommend?

‘The Fish Rots from the Head: Developing Effective Boards by Bob Garratt and Finance for Non-Financial Managers by Roger Mason.

What technologies/tools do you use personally to keep you on track?

I love using Loop within Microsoft 365. It’s new in the last 12 months, but it’s a great way to share notes and focus on actions without worrying about design. It’s been a game-changer for us.

What social media platforms do you prefer and why?

I gave up everything except WhatsApp to keep in touch with friends and family and then LinkedIn for professional networks.

What are your thoughts on where technology is heading and how it will apply to business generally and your business?

I believe the full extent of the changes AI will bring is not yet visible, but they will fundamentally alter how we work. As with many technological revolutions in the past, we expect it to go one way, but actually, we see something else. So, we must be prepared for many changes but be flexible as they unfold. 

Finally, if you had advice for your 21-year-old self – knowing what you know now – what would it be?

Spend time perfecting your hobbies; they will help you keep perspective on how you spend your time and give you outlets to keep you productive at work.

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