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Babble returns to acquisitive ways with double swoop
One of the most active players in the channel M&A space is back adding more depth to its business
The month has started with a flurry of M&A activity, and one of the most active acquirers, Babble, has indicated it’s also continuing to increase its technology depth through deals.
Following its modus operandi of making double swoops and striking deals in pairs, the firm has picked up Gateshead-based mobile services provider Corporate Wardair Limited (CWL) and Chester-based telecoms and IT service provider Avandda.
The latest deals take Babble’s acquisition total to 27 since the start of 2019, with 12 of those coming in the past year, and the motivation behind adding CWL and Avandda in particular is to bolster the mobile and comms side of its business.
CWL has a strong relationship with O2, which will extend Babble’s existing relationship with the carrier, serving 7,700 O2 mobile connections.
Avandda is delivering telco and IT services to a 320-strong customer base, and will bolster Babble’s position in the comms market and add more coverage of the North West.
Matt Parker, Babble CEO, said it was using M&A to add depth to the business and put it in a position where it could support a wide customer base.
“The challenges British businesses are facing make us more determined than ever to become a stronger partner for SMEs by continuing our growth,” he said. “CWL and Avandda are the latest part of this journey and will add scale to our mobile and comms pillars, bringing important expertise and benefits to Babble and our customers, as well as adding some fantastic new customers and mobile connections to our network.”
Initial opportunities
One opportunity identified by Babble is to take advantage of the latest deals to pitch a wider solution offering to existing customers.
”We’ll be sharing our own experience across contact centre, cyber, mobile and communications to a raft of new customers, helping them grow faster and advance different areas of their organisations,” he said. “We’re determined to continue expanding our footprint across all corners of the country, while providing local, personal support to the businesses that make up the backbone of the UK’s economy.”
Last year, Babble was sealing deals every few months as it built the business. The last targets, in September, were Salisbury-based Berry Telecom, and Cavendish Communications Group, which operates out of Newhaven. Before that, a double swoop had been made in July.
At the end of 2020, Babble got investment from Graphite Capital, and that has fuelled a lot of the M&A activity that has occurred since.
