NCC bolts on Benelux-based group

MANCHESTER online security and assurance provider NCC Group has made a strategic acquisition in Europe in a deal worth up to £14.9m.

The Oxford Road-based company is paying £14.9m (€19.5m) for the Belgium and Luxembourg based Open Registry Group, an independent group of domain service companies providing backend registry operations to brand customers, registrar and trademark validation services.

NCC said the deal will enable it to offer a “one stop shop” providing secure domain services to corporate customers, including both registry and registrar services, whilst ensuring that their brands are properly protected in the domain world.  

In the year to December 31  Open Registry Group generated audited EBITDA €15,000 on revenue of €3.7m.  The business has “many complimentary European blue chip clients” NCC said, and the increases its presence in mainland Europe.

NCC is paying an £7.9m to bein with two further payments of up to £7m in total over the next 36 months against performance related targets.

Chief executive Rob Cotton said: “The addition of registry, registrar and trademark protection services to our own web security capabilities, in our Domain Services division, will provide us with a considerable competitive advantage in this fast growing and extremely dynamic market.

“With the introduction of thousands of new gTLDS (generic Top Level Domains)  – 22 to over 1,400 in the next year alone, corporates are looking to outsource the registration, brand protection and management of their web presence securely.  

“The business is a highly respected ICANN and industry player.  It significantly increases our presence and profile in the domain services sector and mainland Europe, as well as bringing a number of leading blue chip technology customers to the Group.

“We are delighted that OR’s very experienced management team is staying with us and look forward to working with them as we together enhance the business’ reputation as it benefits from the group’s scale, reach, security expertise and experience in growing multi-national services businesses.”