AVMI re-ignites M&A engine with Focus 21 purchase
£55m and £10m-revenue audiovisual providers tie the knot
The UK's largest pure-play audiovisual integrator, AVMI, has made its first acquisition in six years, grabbing £10m-revenue rival Focus 21 for an undisclosed sum.
Though built up through a series of acquisitions, AVMI hasn't put its hand in its pocket for a purchase since 2012, when it snapped up Impact.
The addition of Focus 21 will boost AVMI's capabilities to design, deliver and support a "broad range of audiovisual, collaboration and digital media solutions," AVMI said.
AVMI ranked top of CRN's recent audiovisual provider report, with revenues of £56.5m in its most recent financial year.
Focus 21 ranked 15th, with revenues of £10.5m.
Founded in 1998, Surrey-based Focus 21 said it "performed in line with expectations" in its annual accounts for the year to 30 April 2017. During the period, revenues were down four per cent but operating profits nearly trebled, to £226,000.
A deal to kit out investment firm Carlyle Group's new UK headquarters with audiovisual technology is among the case studies listed on Focus 21's website.
Focus 21 founders Jim Harwood and Nigel Warrilow will no longer be involved in the business.
AVMI CEO Ed Cook said: "Focus 21 has an enviable reputation for the quality of its workmanship and its strong service culture, both of which are highly valued characteristics at AVMI
"Combining the two companies will allow us to bring together some of the industry's most talented AV professionals and allow us to continue to evolve to meet the changing and increasingly global needs of our corporate customers. I am extremely excited to welcome the team at Focus 21 into the AVMI group".