Daisy Group acquires Alternative Networks for £184m

Daisy Group, the Nelson-based provider of business-to-business communications and IT infrastructure services, has acquired Alternative Networks plc.

As part of its continuing corporate acquisition strategy, Daisy Group believes Alternative Networks represents a strong and complementary fit with its existing business and operations.

This acquisition builds upon the group’s recent acquisitions of Damovo UK and Phoenix IT in the managed services sector and will further strengthen its mobile and fixed line product and service offerings.

In addition, the acquisition will further increase the group’s scale, providing efficiencies for the combined businesses as well as improved cross-selling opportunities.

The acquisition values Alternative Networks plc at £184m.

Daisy Group CEO Neil Muller said: “This announcement builds upon our successful acquisition strategy, to enable our customers to take advantage of digital technology in a converging world of business communications and IT.

“Alternative Networks is one of the largest independent providers of IT managed services and business-to-business communications in the UK and represents a strong and complementary strategic fit with our existing business and operations.

“Having respected Alternative Networks for many years, we look forward to further enhancing our capability and scale across our chosen markets and we believe the combined group will be well positioned to increase its market share further and to continue to be the provider of choice for its customers and partners.”

Alternative Networks executive chairman James Murray said: “Alternative Networks faces rising demand from customers to procure, manage and support the complete chain of enterprise IT and communication solutions. "The combination with Daisy will ensure that the company is best placed to capitalise on future growth opportunities and remain the provider of choice for our customers. In particular, the strong complementary and strategic fit between Daisy and Alternative Networks will ensure our competitiveness and benefit our customers through access to a broader range of unified communications solutions.”