In a world where deleting data doesn’t guarantee its disappearance, a 37-year-old company from Rotherham is stepping up as a crucial player in the UK’s cybersecurity strategy. S2S Group, a veteran in secure IT asset disposal (ITAD) and electronics recycling, just secured a £500,000 investment from Bailie Group—marking a bold bet on the future of digital resilience far beyond firewalls and encryption.
This isn’t your typical green tech story. It’s where sustainability meets national security, unfolding not in London, but in South Yorkshire.
The New Front Line in Cybersecurity Lives in Old Tech
While ITAD might sound like an afterthought in the tech lifecycle, S2S Group’s work has never been more relevant. Established in 1987, the company handled over 217,000 IT assets in 2024, securely wiping, recycling, or reselling each device with precision. About 81% of those devices were recycled and 19% resold—meaning nothing was left to chance, and nothing was left to leak.
With certifications like Cyber Essentials and status as a Blancco Technology Gold Partner, S2S isn’t just scrubbing data—it’s helping defend sectors like finance, education, and even defence. What was once considered backend clean-up has now become a first line of defence in an era of deepfakes, ransomware, and persistent digital espionage.
The company’s growth reflects that shift. Its meticulous approach to secure hardware disposal now serves as a silent but essential component of the UK’s cybersecurity posture.
The £500,000 investment from Bailie Group comes with more than just capital. It gives S2S Group a strategic partner aligned with purpose. Bailie, which owns communication firms and cybersecurity arms like CDS DS, sees S2S as a natural fit in its broader mission to protect and empower through knowledge and technology.
With a 25% equity stake, Bailie’s involvement propels S2S toward national expansion—especially in defence. CEO Grant Barton views the deal as a turning point: with the right backing, S2S plans to increase annual revenue by 21%, aiming for £5.8 million in 2025.
Already operating out of Rotherham, London, and Glasgow, the company is challenging the assumption that innovation lives only in big cities. As government initiatives aim to “level up” regional economies, S2S stands as proof that SMEs outside the M25 can punch well above their weight.
When Climate Goals and Cybersecurity Align
S2S isn’t just focused on secure data destruction—it’s embedding sustainability into the heart of tech retirement. The company holds a 4-star UN SDG rating and has made formal commitments to climate action, responsible consumption, and gender equality. This rare blend of cyber hygiene and ESG makes it one of the few UK firms balancing digital security with environmental stewardship.
It’s not just about recycling hard drives—it’s about redefining how tech ends its life. Through certified data-wiping, refurbishment, and secure disposal, S2S turns old devices into a new source of value and resilience.
As Fergus Bailie, CEO of Bailie Group, puts it, “This is about national resilience. Secure data disposal isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s mission-critical.”
S2S Group is proving that innovation doesn’t always wear a hoodie or pitch from a glass tower. Sometimes, it looks like a warehouse in Rotherham humming with discarded servers, wiped clean with military-grade precision and recycled into tomorrow’s hardware.
While front-end breakthroughs like AI dominate headlines, the quiet work of secure disposal is becoming just as vital. With strategic capital, strong ESG values, and a growing role in UK defence, S2S is redefining what it means to safeguard our digital future—from beginning to end.
