Excalibur keeps it local and acquires in Swindon

Communications specialist Excalibur has not needed to look far for its latest acquisition target picking up fellow Swindon-based IT services firm Sensata.

This marks the third acquisition by Excalibur in the space of 18 months and continues the shift by the firm well beyond its original telco roots.

Earlier this year the firm picked up Techs4Education to extend its reach in the education vertical and last Spring Excalibur added the Support Services division of Ntegra to its portfolio.

Even before those recent deals the firm had been using acquisition as a way to expand its operations and add more data skills into the mix and it bought Devision in January 2016 building on earlier buys of Bridge Solutions in 2012 and Emnico Enterprises in 2011.

Sensata has been running for 14 years and offers a range of services including cloud, security and VoIP technologies. The terms of the deal were undisclosed.

Following the acquisition Sensata founders Christoper and Janet Griffin will remain involved with the business and all of the staff will move into the Excalibur offices in Swindon.

Excalibur CEO Peter Boucher said that it was aware of its latest acquisition as a result of the success the firm had on a local basis.

"It’s a proven company that shares our passion for delivering a great service to clients and going the extra mile to create IT solutions specifically for SMEs. It’s a natural fit for both of us and, as we grow, we also benefit from the addition of great staff into the Excalibur talent pool," he said.

“We have just had a record quarter of growth in our IT business. This acquisition, in particular, accelerates the growth and opportunities for us in our home town, Swindon," he added.

In response Chris Griffin, Sensata founder and technical director, said that it made sense to join forces with another local firm.

"It was important for us to secure an agreement that would provide security for our dedicated staff and continuity of service for our loyal customers. We have found this in Excalibur, which is a highly respected local company, and one that has the expertise to support the great SMEs that we work with in Swindon," he said.
"Janet and I will continue to be involved with the business and are looking forward to supporting Excalibur’s development as it goes forward,” he added.