Communicate Better dials up growth plan

ACQUISITION-hungry telecoms company Communicate Better has expanded its reach after buying a small Yorkshire rival.

The Salford-based company, led by entrepreneur Wayne Cartwright, has acquired Hebden Bridge firm Green House Telecom, in a deal which should take turnover in the year to the end of March 2012  from £1.7m to £3m.

Mr Cartwright, who built up and then sold Britannia Communications, before investing in Swinton firm Communicate Better, says he plans to continue with his aggressive buy and build strategy in a market dominated regionally by listed Daisy Group and Alderley Edge-based Chess.

“The plan for the next four or five years is to try and double in size every year – something we have managed to do in recent years.

“We now have 27 employees – and are recruiting for a further three in January – when I bought into Communicate Better three years ago there were just six staff.”

He has funded the growth of the business through his own resource – he made £8m from the Britannia deal. In March Communicate Better bought
MH Communications of Rainhill, near Liverpool.

Among Green House’s customers is retail group Edinburgh Woollen Mill. Mr Cartwright said the plan is to cross sell Communicate Better’s other services such as data and mobile, to the Yorkshire company’s clients.

In order to gain more of a national presence, Communicate Better are continuing their expansion plans by also looking to develop a southern hub in the next 12 months. 

The corporate team at Manchester law firm Berg, advised Communicate Better on the acquisition. 

Keith Kennedy, corporate partner at Berg in Manchester, said: “ With more acquisitions in the pipeline, Communicate Better is making a clear statement to the rest of the market.”

 “As the market becomes increasingly competitive and providers dip into acquisition war chests, we expect to see more M&A activity within the sector in 2012.”