Apogee buys Bolton VAR Total Digital Solutions

Corporation makes 16th acquisition in Lancs print and reprographics specialist

Wimbledon-based Apogee Corporation has bought out troubled Bolton print specialist Total Digital Solutions for an undisclosed sum.

Apogee, a managed print, digital office and telecommunications provider, said in its announcement that Total Digital and its assets are a good fit, and that Apogee also retains enough funds to continue to grow by acquisition.

"Having achieved about 40 per cent revenue growth on the first half of 2011, Apogee is on course to realise sales in excess of £70m in 2012, not taking into account further strategic acquisitions in the pipeline," Apogee's board said in its announcement.

Some 3,000 Total Digital customers, including an unknown number of creditors, will pass to Apogee as part of the deal.

"These clients will have access to Apogee's decades of experience designing tailored, innovative solutions," the company said. "The business is champing at the bit to meet our new partners and help them evolve. We are delighted with our growth this year and Total Digital is a key part of this."

In September, Apogee announced the acquisition of another print reseller, Leytonstone-based Canon partner London Business Equipment (LBE), founded in 1987.

LBE and Total Digital Solutions are the provider's 15th and 16th acquisitions respectively.

Apogee claims to have doubled in size since 2009, and is looking to mainland Europe for further expansion, where it has already signed £15m-worth of managed print contracts.

Total Digital Solutions was founded in 2000 by Rob Jones and has regional offices in Manchester, London, Newcastle, Birmingham and Leeds. It is believed the reseller entered administration on 1 August and was immediately sold, with its 26 staff continuing to work for the new incarnation.