Content+Cloud snaps up Sipcom

Content+Cloud has sealed an acquisition that will not only add more depth to its position in the Microsoft partner ecosystem but also provide its first foray into the US market.

The decision to pick up comms and UC specialist Sipcom will add more communications expertise to Content+Cloud’s existing Microsoft cloud knowledge. It also helps create a UK player with revenues topping £100m and a staff of 775.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed but thanks to Sipcom’s presence in the US, it gives Content+Cloud a chance to grow its footprint on the other side of the Atlantic.

The deal also comes at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the use of collaboration tools, with Microsoft Teams chief among them, and given plenty of customers pause for thought about their future comms strategy as the world gears up for a “new normal” from June onwards. The SipcomHALOTM platform is a technology that will give its new owners the chance to pitch a unified, secure and resilient architecture.

Daniel Allen, CEO of Sipcom, said the firm had been supporting global customers with their comms needs for a while. “Sipcom has always punched above its weight as a business. Our close relationship with Microsoft, our track record of deploying services around the world, and our many accolades – including inclusion in the 2020 Sunday Times Tech Track 100 – are evidence of our commitment to excellence in delivering enterprise-class communications and collaboration services,” he said. 

“Joining Content+Cloud is the next vital stage in realising our potential as the leading provider of enterprise voice and communication capabilities,” added Allen.

The customer list that Sipcom has built up includes household names such as Ralph Lauren, Jim Beam, UBS, as well as a healthy number of government users.

This is Content+Cloud’s fifth acquisition since private equity firm ECI Partners acquired a majority stake in the firm, formerly known as IT Lab, in 2016. Sipcom marks the largest of the deals the firm has done, which have included Content and Code and Sol-Tec.

“Over the past five years, we have brought together some of the most exciting businesses within the Microsoft technology ecosystem, expanding on our market-leading cloud-native, Azure and Modern Workplace capabilities. Content+Cloud is one of the most certified Microsoft cloud specialists globally and the acquisition of Sipcom enables us to help our customers unlock even greater value across Microsoft’s three clouds,” said Content+Cloud CEO Peter Sweetbaum.

“Teams is the most important collaboration platform in the market today and will be even more important for businesses over the coming years as new ways of working become the norm,” he said. “Through the integration of third-party applications and services, and the ability to utilise the power of Azure Cognitive Services and Microsoft Graph to surface rich content and provide deeper insight for customers, Teams will continue to be the most powerful front end to user experience.”