Apex scoops up Ciscom contracts

The receiver for doomed reseller Ciscom has sold off its customer support contracts to Cirencester-based reseller Apex Computers International.

The receiver for doomed reseller Ciscom has sold off its customer support contracts to Cirencester-based reseller Apex Computers International.

Apex, which is an IBM Premier Business Partner, bought the former Teddington-based company's Cisco customer support contracts for an undisclosed sum from London-based receiver Levy Gee.

The reseller is predicting turnover of £26m this year and plans to expand its business into the Cisco arena, a representative said. He added that the acquisition demonstrated the company's commitment to growth in the support services sector. "It enables the company to leverage the direct alliance between IBM and Cisco," he said.

"IBM and Cisco made a deal a while ago where IBM would produce servers and Cisco would be the network provider," the representative said. Apex's acquisition would enable the company to specialise in both areas without compromising either business, he said.

Apex will provide continued support for existing Ciscom clients and will offer a range of integrated products and services to meet their ecommerce needs.

Nick King, managing director at Apex Computers International, said: "This is a strategic move, strengthening our support services base and providing the resources and momentum to underpin our growth plans for that sector of our business."

News of Ciscom's demise hit the headlines last month, after the company went into receivership despite desperate attempts to find a buyer.

Takeover talks between receiver Levy Gee and distributor Landis broke down due to complications with employee contracts, because any firm buying the company would have to pay the outstanding £400,000 wages bill. Eighty people lost their jobs as a result.

Also published in Computer Reseller News