Fast-growing telecoms equipment supplier 4Com has continued its recent acquisition spree after completing its sixth deal in a little over a year.
The Bournemouth-based firm has now bought Hampshire-based cloud telephone systems and WiFi solutions supplier Southern Business Communications (SBC), adding to its total base of around 13,000 clients. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
4Com completed its first buyout in its almost 25-year history with the purchase of West Bromwich-based Midshire Telecom last summer.
It followed that up with a takeover of Norwich-based Eastern Voice and Data in November and a deal for Northampton-based Bluebell Cloud Solutions' business customers in January. In March the company swooped for Shropshire-based Reach Digital Telecom, in an agreement that saw it take on 3,000 customers.
Bosses at 4Com said the deal had come about after a direct approach from Southern Business Communications, who they said had been recommended to get in touch by the former owners of businesses 4Com had previously bought.
4Com chief executive Gary Scutt said “This is the latest in a growing amount of direct acquisition enquiries we’ve received; we’re hearing from these companies that other acquirers are getting through due diligence then changing the deal at the last minute.
“That plays into our hands, as they are then walking away from those deals and coming to us. We establish a fit before any expense of due diligence; once we know it’s a fit and a deal is agreed, we stick to it. Six out of six have made it through full due diligence and completed at the agreed price and structure”.
Paul Holland, director at SBC, said, “We are very proud of everything we have achieved throughout our 33 years of business, and would particularly like to thank all of our customers who have trusted us for their telecoms services.
“We felt it was the right time to sell the business, and when we had our initial discussions with 4Com we just knew they were the right business to take us on especially after talking to previous businesses they had acquired.”
4Com added that further acquisitions were “already in the pipeline”.
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