Conscia extends UK&I reach with PlanNet21 Group buy

Danish outfit Conscia has extended its ability to service customers in Ireland and the UK by picking up PlanNet21 Group.

The purchase of the Dublin-based cyber security player, for an undisclosed sum, takes Conscia into Ireland for the first time and brings on board more customers across both sides of the Irish Sea.

Conscia’s PlanNet21 Group acquisition, which comprises PlanNet21 Communications, Agile Networks and eCom Solutions, adds more security, networking and managed services depth to the business.

PlanNet21 Group generated revenue of close to €70m in 2022/23, working out of a Dublin headquarters, with offices in Cork, Galway, Belfast and Edinburgh. It brings around 300 public sector and enterprise customers.

The acquired firm operates a structure around eight core solutions and service offerings that are backed up with industry specialisations to support enterprise networks, security, cloud, datacentre, unified communications, and collaboration and contact centre services, plus bespoke software development solutions.

“I am very pleased to welcome customers and the highly competent people from PlanNet21 Group to Conscia and we look forward to working together in Ireland and on all our combined markets. There is a commercial and cultural fit that will create a very compelling customer proposition,” said Erik Bertman, Goup CEO at Conscia.

Both firms share a similar approach and customer base, and the combined operation will allow Plan21 to target more business activities across the rest of northern Europe. If the PlanNet21 contribution was added to the mix, Conscia would have generated revenue in excess of €700m in 2022/23.

“With Conscia, we can accelerate our development through enhanced customer offerings and a pan-European presence. They bring financial strength and scale in networking competencies, and their edge as a cyber security leader with award-winning services and solutions, coupled with data insights through their platforms for managed detection and response and security information and event management, makes them an attractive owner for us,” said Peter Carroll, CEO of PlanNet21 Group.

Conscia has used mergers and acquisitions as a mechanism to extend its reach before, with PlanNet21 representing its 20th deal, building on its moves earlier this year for UK digital transformation provider ITGL, and Nordic Kanari Group, which specialises in observability.

Rolf Torsøe, managing director of Nordic Capital Advisors, which backed the move, said the deal had several benefits for Conscia.

“This transaction marks Conscia’s entry into Ireland and strengthens the company’s position as a leading European player providing a full package of cyber security and networking solutions and services to customers across markets,” he said.

There has been a trend of Norther European channel players targeting businesses in the UK and Ireland to widen their geographic reach. Last week, another serial acquiree, Advania, picked up CCS Media in a move designed to extend its market coverage and deepen its Microsoft support skills.