M247 completes UK Web Solutions Direct buy

Ninth acquisition for Manchester service provider in 10 years

Manchester infrastructure services provider M247 has finalised its seven-figure all-cash purchase of web hoster and managed services provider UK Web Solutions Direct.

David Buckle, managing director of M247, said the deal sees M247 take over hosting services deals for 15,000 websites. The purchase price is undisclosed but runs into seven figures.

"The team are looking forward to getting to know [their new customers] and are already standing by to continue providing the highest levels of customer support that they've come to expect from UK Web Solutions Direct," he said.

This is the ninth company M247 has bought in the past 10 years. According to an M247 statement, the web hosting market is highly fragmented and ripe for consolidation.

UK Web Solutions Direct's director Paul Ridge and management team will remain with the company until the acquisition is bedded down, after which they will pursue other opportunities, according to M247.

UK Web Solutions Direct was also based in Manchester.

M247 boasts a backbone network spanning the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania, incorporating two Manchester datacentres. It specialises in designing, deploying and managing web hosting platforms.