Azzurri loses 71 staff after acquisition spree

Voice and data integrator Azzurri Communications has confirmed 71 of its staff have been made redundant.

Azzurri revealed last month that it was looking to cut its cost base after acquiring 16 companies in the past seven years and claimed it wanted to integrate all of its acquisitions and eradicate duplication of jobs.

A consultation process with staff designed to generate cost-cutting ideas was then undertaken, before 84 employees were informed that their jobs were in jeopardy.

The integrator told CRN last month that voluntary redundancies were not being offered, but that it was keen to find alternative employment within the company for as many affected staff as possible.

Only 13 of those staff will now remain with the company and 71 of them left Azzurri on Friday, 4 April. The firm indicated the figure was less than originally expected, but was unavailable for further comment.

Alistair Edwards, senior analyst at Canalys, said: “Any company that is trying to grow aggressively through acquisitions lays itself open to some risk, but it could be an opportune time to do so as there are resellers that are under pressure and looking for an exit strategy.

“If companies such as Azzurri did not take those kinds of risks then the market would not just stand still, it would move backwards.”

Barrie Desmond, business development manager for distributor VADition, said: “Azzurri’s management had some hard decisions to make and they did not make them. This is good management, but it is a year too late.”