AVM becomes AV market's 800lb gorilla with Impact buy

AV integrator buys 170-strong rival

Audio Visual Machines (AVM) claims it is now the undisputed silverback of the UK audiovisual and videoconferencing supply market after merging with rival integrator Impact.

AVM - which turned over £35.5m in its fiscal 2011 - is no stranger to the acquisition game, with video specialist VC-Net among the firms it has gobbled up in recent years.

Impact, which specialises in audiovisual, videoconferencing and collaboration, has four UK offices and will add 170 staff to AVM's existing 270-strong workforce.

The enlarged firm will be known as AVM Impact and chief executive Edward Cook (pictured) said customers would benefit from the merged entity's superior purchasing power.

"Furthermore, AVM's existing customers will gain access to Impact's market-leading Facilities Management Software solutions while Impact's existing customers will gain access to AVM's True Collaboration "meeting space" solutions and AVM's Creative Services for digital signage," he added.

Thomas Doyon, executive chairman of Impact's former holding company Impact Europe Group AB, added: "We believe that AVM is a natural and excellent choice for Impact's evolution.

"It will enable the company to be a more interesting partner to customers and have the strength to deliver larger and more complex solutions globally."

Having sold off its continental businesses a while back, Impact Europe Group AB will cease trading.