4Com, a leading provider of business telephone systems, has today announced that they have acquired Southern Business Communications (SBC) as part of their ongoing growth strategy. This deal will be the 6th deal in just 14 months for the Bournemouth-based telecoms company and will see them purchase the company in its entirety.
Established in 1990, Southern Business Communications are a Hampshire-based telecommunications company supplying cloud telephone systems, internet, mobile and WiFi solutions throughout the UK. The acquisition of SBC, completed on 16th June, follows the purchase of Midshire Telecom, Eastern Voice and Data, Reach Digital Telecoms and the business telecoms customer bases of both Bluebell Cloud Solutions and Meridian IT Communications.
Gary Scutt, 4Com’s Chief Executive Officer, explained, “Our acquisition strategy continues to play an important role in accelerating our growth. To complete 6 deals in just 14 months is an incredible achievement with our honest approach starting to pay dividends: Southern Business Communications came directly to us through a recommendation from previously acquired business owners”.
Gary continued, “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. 6 out of 6 have made it through full due diligence and completed at the agreed price and structure”.
Paul Holland, Director at SBC, commented, “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. We want to thank the whole team who have made this possible and look forward to the future of SBC under 4Com.”
Andrew Whittaker, 4Com’s Chief Financial Officer, said, “As our core business continues to expand, we are constantly pursuing new acquisition opportunities which is why we are delighted to be purchasing Southern Business Communications. SBC are already a successful business, built on reputation; offering innovative products and services which I know will complement and be a great asset to our business. I’d like to extend my thanks on behalf of the Company to all employees both here at 4Com and at SBC for their commitment and dedication in completing this acquisition.”
Gary continues, “With further acquisitions already in the pipeline, we are excited for the future of 4Com. I’d like to remind any businesses that are looking to sell their business or customer base to get in touch. With the increasing interest rates in the debt market, why take on that burden when you could simply sell a proportion of your customers to fund your business. We look forward to hearing from any further interested parties.”
For more information on 4Com’s acquisitions process, and to request an informal, private conversation, please visit: https://www.4com.co.uk/acquisitions/
About 4Com
We are here to cater to your business’s communication needs, from broadband internet services to business phone systems. Whether it’s for large corporate offices, restaurants, hotels, dental practices, recruitment agencies, healthcare services or any other industry, we can help. Get in touch today.
