Niu Solutions to build on its buyout success

Buy-and-build player Telinet unveils integrated brand and services strategy

Gary Woodward: The market has a lot of opportunities for us as customers move from on-premise IT to hosted solutions

Having integrated four acquisitions and finalised a brand identity, buy-and-build group niu Solutions is banking on hosted success to help double its sales.

Across 2008 and early 2009, VAR Telinet acquired channel players Pasporte, Newburn, Ipitomi and Evolution Voice and Data. All have now been brought under the niu banner, with former Pasporte boss Gary Woodward becoming chief executive of the newly integrated group.

Niu recently launched One Workplace, a hosted ICT package encompassing data, voice and desktop services.

“The market has a lot of opportunities for us over the next three or four years,
as customers move away from on-premise IT towards hosted solutions,” said Woodward.

He claimed that, after a cautious couple of years, many private equity houses are “awash with funds”.

Niu’s annual revenue currently stands at about £50m, halfway towards the company’s goal of £100m. Woodward said Investec, the group’s investment bank backer, would support more acquisitions in the second half of next year.

“We are looking to add some strength to our applications business,” he said. “We also see security as a key opportunity area.”