Computacenter acquires Misco's Netherlands business
Buyout of Dutch firm adds €134m in revenues to Benelux business of Computacenter
Computacenter has acquired Misco's last-remaining European subsidiary in the Netherlands.
Based in Amstelveen, Misco Solutions employs around 200 staff and logged revenues of €134m (£120.9m) in 2017.
The Dutch company will be rebranded as Computacenter NL, CRN understands.
The acquisition was officially completed on Friday, with Computacenter claiming to have covered the cost of the transaction using existing cash resources.
In July , CRN sister publication Channelnomics Europe exclusively revealed that Misco Netherlands was up for sale, and that Computacenter and Bechtle were in the frame as buyers. We also reported rumours that Centralpoint completed due diligence to buy Misco, but ultimately pulled out.
Speaking to Channelnomics Europe, Misco CEO Alan Cantwell said he began conversations with Computacenter two to three months ago, but denied that he approached other resellers including Centralpoint and Bechtle before beginning conversations with Computacenter.
"This has all happened in the last two to three months," he said. "We've found a good home for Misco with Computacenter. It has a good position and reputation in the market and a good portfolio of clients to whom they can add value with the Misco business."
The CEO held up Misco Netherlands as the blue-eyed boy of the group in a previous interview with CRN last August.
The deal marks Computacenter's first direct presence in the Netherlands and a significant lift for its Benelux business. The firm's Belgium arm generated just £30.5m (€33.86m) of total £3.79bn revenues in 2017.
In a statement, Computacenter CEO Mike Norris said: "While we mainly focus on organic growth, we are interested in acquisition opportunities which either enable us to enter new markets or enhance our services and solutions for our customers.
"The Netherlands is an adjacent European market for us and we are excited by the opportunity to build the long-term trust of government organisations and some of Europe's largest companies headquartered there. Our direct local presence in the Netherlands will also allow us to enhance our support to a number of Computacenter's largest international clients for whom this is a key location."
Misco's Dutch arm is the company's last-standing subsidiary on the continent following the collapse of Misco UK in October 2017, which preceded subsequent closures in Spain, Italy, Sweden and Hungary earlier this year.
The reseller was bought by Hilco Capital, a specialist in restructuring troubled businesses, in March last year along with Misco's management team.
Misco Netherlands used to be owned by UK reseller giant SCC, before it sold the business to US firm Systemax in 2014.