IT and comms firms merge to create £11m group

COMMUNICATIONS specialists Incom Business Systems and Complete Network Services have merged to create a business with a turnover of more than £11m.

Incom, based at Eccles in Salford, was launched 26 years ago and broke through the £1m revenue barrier in 2004.

Managing director David Hughes, who has been at the company for 24 years said Incom would generate £7.5m this year and said Burnley and Carrington-based CNS has complementary services to help both companies grow.

“We have looked at deals with other companies in the past, but we have walked away,” he said. “But one thing that CNS has in its DNA is that their engineers are absolutely fantastic.

“They have reached a turnover £3.5m and we believe that together we can grow to the next level.”

Hughes said both companies’ brands would remain intact and there would be no job losses among the combined 100-strong workforce, although CNS’s workforce at its Carrington base would move to Eccles.

Both businesses success has been down to their ability to attract high profile customers such as Haribo, The Range superstores, StepChange, Bentley Motors, Kellogg’s, BLM and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Managing director of CNS, Paul Ingham said: “This is the right time to maximise on the excellent reputations of both organisations, establishing ourselves as the go-to solution provider of choice for organisations that value our client-centric approach and award-winning communications solutions.”

The deal was facilitated by Simon Wallwork, partner at Manchester law firm Slater Heelis, who provided legal advice to Incom Business Systems, with Jon Davage of Bermans providing legal advice and Chris Evans of Ballard Evans providing financial and tax advice to CNS.