Manchester tax relief specialist snapped up by expanding US group

Manchester-headquartered business tax relief specialist Catax has been acquired by a US tax services and software provider.

The acquisition by Ryan, which has its headquarters in Dallas, Texas, will strengthen its R&D capabilities and expend its offering into the UK and Canadian market.

Catax, which was founded in 2009, has recovered more than £428m of tax relief for its clients in the areas of R&D, Capital Allowances, the Patent Box and Remediation of Contaminated Land.

With operations in London and Vancouver, Canada, Catax has more than 100 specialists who assist clients with their tax relief claims.

The deal with Ryan is a major milestone for the firm and will see the operation of both companies “complement each other immediately” by broadening the services offered to existing clients.

“This acquisition perfectly aligns with our strategic goal of expanding Ryan’s global footprint in the research and development space,” said Ryan Chairman and CEO G. Brint Ryan.

“Our valued clients will benefit from Catax’s leading R&D and capital allowances tax services in the United Kingdom, Canada, and around the world.”

Mark Tighe, CEO of Catax, said: “We’ve grown rapidly over the past 13 years by setting high benchmarks for quality of service in the UK and Canada.

“Everything about this acquisition points to a new and exciting chapter for us. Collectively, our knowledge and expertise is second to none, providing a unique opportunity in the rapidly evolving market for tax services and software.”

The Catax deal follows Ryan’s recent acquisition of Qvalia’s value added tax (VAT) compliance and recovery business in the Nordics.