VAR Bechtle buys ACS Systems in latest UK acquisition

The MSP focuses on cybersecurity, modern work concepts as well as managed IT and cloud services

Bechtle has announced it has snapped up B2B IT solutions provider ACS Systems UK.

Founded in 1995, ACS has a headcount of 93 working out of Northampton in the midlands.

Its tech portfolio focuses around the modern workplace, datacentre and cybersecurity solutions, and managed services.

VAR Bechtle direct UK has delivered a number of customer projects with the UK MSP in the past, which covers a wide customer spectrum from regional companies to large corporations and the public sector.

The executive management team of ACS will remain in their current roles and oversee the process of integrating the company into the Bechtle Group, together with James Napp, managing director of Bechtle direct UK.

"Having co-founded the company, it was very important to me to know the company will be in good hands down the road, both for our colleagues and our customers," said ACS co-founder and CEO, Jon Thorpe.

"Together with Bechtle, we're well poised to keep growing while ensuring consistent, long-term support for our customers during their digital transformation. I'm very much looking forward to this new chapter in our company's history."

Napp added: "I've known ACS for many years and have always enjoyed working with Jon Thorpe.

"ACS has a very experienced and highly capable team and will undoubtedly put us in a position to accelerate our growth and expand our offering for our customers."

Bechtle's UK expansion

The German VAR said it is continuing to effect its acquisition strategy with the addition of ACS, which for the first time saw sites outside Germany, Austria and Switzerland added to the IT System House & Managed Services segment in 2021.

After expanding the segment into the Netherlands, Bechtle said it can now also strengthen its foothold in the British market with a much-expanded portfolio and the aim to establish a joint managed services platform to support customers together.

"We see excellent prospects on the horizon of the British market with ACS," said Bechtle EVP for France, the Benelux and UK, Konstantin Ebert.

"We already have a successful track record together and are very positive that, by joining forces, both companies can offer huge added value in terms of end-to-end customer support. The two teams complement each other perfectly."

Bechtle has been established on the UK market for over 20 years.

In 1997, it launched its first UK branch in Plymouth, moving to Chippenham in 1999.

In 2019, a second branch was opened in Manchester.

Bechtle currently employs some 120 people across these two locations, generating revenues well above €110m, it claims.