Logicalis ramps up collaboration efforts
UK boss says Direct Visual acquisition will send message to vendor partners
Logicalis says its acquisition of videoconferencing VAR Direct Visual will send a "clear message" of its intent to grow in the collaboration space.
A year after Cisco bought Tandberg, Cisco Gold partner Logicalis has followed in the vendor's footsteps by snapping up Tandberg Platinum partner Direct Visual. It is Logicalis' first UK acquisition for three years.
Husband-and-wife owners Mike and Marina Philips will leave the business in March and the firm will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Logicalis.
Talking to CRN, Logicalis UK managing director, Tom Kelly, said: "This acquisition should send a clear message to Cisco and Tandberg that we are growing our capabilities in the overall area of collaboration, which we see growing and growing."
West Yorkshire-based Direct Visual has a turnover of about $15m and its clients include Nike, Nissan and the Highways Agency.
"They are successful, and there are synergies between where we are and where they are," said Kelly.
"Alongside the investment we have made in the new datacentre and our thought leadership in the cloud, video is something we can deliver via the cloud platform we have built."
Jonathan Pickering, managing director of Cisco Gold partner Block Solutions, said: "This is a logical move for anyone who has a collaboration strategy. The Tandberg partners will offer a valuable account base for the bigger Cisco partners like Logicalis to leverage."