Advania to acquire UK-based, IT solution specialist CCS Media

Advania UK, a multiple award-winning Microsoft partner, has reached a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the share capital in CCS Media, one of the UK’s largest independent IT solution specialists. The acquisition will represent a landmark deal in the UK market and a significant advancement with Advania’s strategy in becoming the preferred end-to-end IT services provider in Northern Europe.

Advania UK, part of The Advania Group, is a leading cloud services and digital transformation partner and full-service managed service provider. It has a significant partnership with Microsoft holding all six solution provider designations and supports Enterprise, Mid-Market, SMB and Public Sector customers. Advania empowers customers to transform the way they do business, optimise the way their people work, and provides them with flexible and secure technology platforms on which to operate. The Advania Group has over 4,500 employees, across Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Denmark, South Africa and the UK.

Geoff Kneen, CEO of Advania UK comments “This is a game changer and a true testament to our commitment to the UK market. It represents a tremendous opportunity for two highly complementary and trusted businesses to join forces as a long-term strategic technology partner for our customers. Together with our recent acquisition of leading value-added-reseller Servium, we are now capable of offering unparalleled choice, and deep experience when it comes to identifying, procuring, implementing, and supporting the right technology solutions for our customers. Alongside a wide array of leading vendors and partners we will accelerate business outcomes and help ambitious organisations to deliver their transformation and sustainability agendas through leading technology and unparalleled expertise. We are incredibly excited to welcome the CCS Media team to the Advania group and look forward to building upon our shared heritage.”

CCS Media is a technology and solution specialist with over 41 years of experience delivering first-class IT solutions and services to organisations of every kind across the UK and beyond. A network of 11 offices and one warehouse and logistics configuration centres, secures unrivalled nationwide scale for supply and service, matched with the comfort of local presence. CCS Media works with more than 2,000 manufacturer partners and sells more than one million products across their 8,000 customers. CCS Media has been awarded two stars for Best Companies Outstanding to Work For, Technology’s 50 Best Companies to Work For, The UK’s 100 Best Large Companies to Work For and five regional Best Companies awards.

Terry Betts, CEO of CCS Media comments “The CCS Media Leadership Team is immensely excited to unite forces with Advania UK and extend an even greater depth of expertise and services to our loyal customers across the UK. CCS Media was on a journey to develop more comprehensive solution offerings for our customers and the transaction will hugely accelerate this trajectory. This partnership will also benefit our employees, offering wider opportunities for growth and development at such an exciting time in the industry. Like Advania, people are at the heart of our business and our shared culture and customer centricity was a key driver for the deal to progress. The extensive capability of the combined business, and particularly Advania UK’s class leading partnership with Microsoft, will enable us to address a broader range of customer needs from devices & infrastructure, to strategy, cloud transformation, AI, and managed services.”

The acquisition will now see Advania UK employing over 1,500 people at 20 UK locations, one South African location and the US, providing its customers with innovative solutions and flexible procurement options, once the preserve of only the largest enterprises. The acquisition will enable its combined nine thousand customers to transform core business processes, optimise spend and secure operations through a single service provider. Advania’s position as Microsoft’s top-tier cloud transformation and AI enablement partner, holding all six cloud solution designations, twelve specialisations and Azure Expert MSP status, offers customers a complete portfolio for digital transformation services backed by unrivalled service experience and extensive industry accreditations.