North changes private equity hands as it acquires Data Techniques

CEO Glen Williams tells CRN that new investor Livingbridge brings larger war chest and more M&A opportunities

North has changed private equity hands while simultaneously announcing it has acquired a connectivity specialist in the South East of the UK.

The networking and IoT specialist has taken on new investment from Livingbridge, which has acquired the business from previous investor Aliter.

North was formed in 2020 through a merger between five businesses - Boston Networks, Pinacl, Pinacl GDA, 2020 Vision Systems and PEL Services -under private equity backer Aliter Capital.

Based in London, Livingbridge describes itself as a mid-market private equity firm investing in fast growing companies valued up to £300m.

The acquisition was made through the £1.2bn Livingbridge 7 fund.

The private equity house has ongoing investments in other channel businesses including network aggregator FluidOne, voice and data provider Southern Communications and cybersecurity services firm Adarma.

FluidOne has already made two acquisitions under Livingbridge after the business was spun out of SCC parent Rigby Group in 2019.

Alongside the new private equity backing, Aruba, Cisco and Nokia partner North has also announced that it has acquired Data Techniques.

Data Techniques has 90 staff based across three offices in Camberley, Southampton and a logistics centre in Basingstoke. The acquisition marks a major geographic expansion move adding to North's existing presence in Glasgow, northern Wales, North Shields, Birmingham and Middlesex.

Williams told CRN that the deal will bring North's headcount to more than 360 staff and will boost its annual turnover to £63m.

Data Techniques' management will remain in place, with managing director Nick Crosby staying on to run the business. The business will be integrated over time and rebranded under North's banner.

Data Technique's new Camberley office, which its staff will move into in September, will become North's new head office, Williams said.

The acquisition will open up a new customer base - especially in the public sector and central government adding to North's strengths in local and regional government and healthcare.

Williams told CRN that he began looking for new private equity backing as conversations to acquire Data Techniques progressed.

"This was the biggest acquisition that North has done. At the time, when we started to have those conversations, it made sense to find a new partner to take us on the next stage of the journey."

Livingbridge will provide the IoT and networking MSP with a larger fund to pursue more M&A opportunities, added the North CEO.

Future acquisitions will focus on adding more specialisations to the business around IoT and safety and security technologies, Williams added.

"This is the start of the journey with Livingbridge and this is a part of the buy and build strategy. Of course there will be organic growth, but there will be further acquisitions," he said.

"Aliter has done an amazing job of building the company up, but we now need to take the business to the next level."

Williams said that acquiring Data Techniques will enable North to attract new talent across the south of the UK while also continuing to tap into talent pools across Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow.

"It gives us an end-to-end coverage of the UK - something that not many other companies in our space have got," he said.

He previously told CRN that he wants North to be the UK's "de facto" IoT provider, and said that acquiring a larger UK presence was high on the agenda.

"We want to become the leading IoT connectivity solutions provider in the UK," he said.

"There aren't any companies of our size and scale in the IoT space and there aren't any companies who deliver end-to-end solutions with the technologies we offer in the market today."