A BOLTON company has struck black gold after it was awarded a new multi-million pound payroll services contract by an oil giant.

PAYEPeople, based in Westhoughton, has announced a deal with Shell UK to provide payroll services to 450 locations owned by the oil company over the next five years.

In securing the deal, PAYEpeople had to overcome competition from several multinational payroll bureaux over a period of months.

Delighted with the announcement, Head of PAYEPeople Andrew McNicholas believes that the dedication of service prevailed over size.

"We were first contracted to provide payroll services for Shell back in 1999," he said.

"While there are bigger players in the industry, we have always provided the client with flexible options and ways to save money." While supplying payroll services to over 20,000 employees is sizeable in value, Andrew believes the company's experience in dealing with smaller businesses helps them to be flexible to the needs of each location.

"How and when they provide us with information will be unique to each location, but because we are used to dealing with the smaller businesses, we are fully equipped to respond to each of those needs individually."

Employing more than 100 staff at its headquarters on Cricketers' Way, the company recently expanded following a succession of large payroll contracts. The company's other clients include the Greene King and Scottish and Newcastle pub chains, while the smallest payroll services are carried out to just two and three-person businesses.