WASHINGTON-BASED software company Datawright Computer Services has been bought by a Berkshire business.
Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), which specialises in business management solutions for the distributive sector, has taken over the business.
Datawright, which employs 25 people and concentrates on resource planning and invoice management tools, has clients across the UK, Europe, North America, the Middle East and China.
The company is being rebranded as KCS Manufacturing Solutions and integrated into the Hungerford-based group. KCS chief executive Ian Bendelow said that other than Datawright’s managing director, who is stepping down, all the staff will be remaining with the company.
“We are very pleased to have concluded this strategic acquisition,” he said.
“Both companies have known each other for many years and share a common technology platform.
“We will immediately set about integrating the two solutions to create a single platform under the new name of KCS Manufacturing Solutions and rebrand the product to reflect the fact that we now have a very clear product strategy.
“It will be very much business as usual but with a Kerridge name. We want to do exactly what they’re doing but hopefully more of it given our broader range of customers.”
And he said that more jobs could be created at Washington.
“I would hope to see them growing with increased demand. We look forward to growing further,” said Bendelow.
The takeover of Datawright is KCS’s second acquisition since its own management buyout in 2010, backed by NVM Private Equity (NVM).
A year ago, it bought Strategix, based in Buckinghamshire.
NVM originally invested £9m in the buyout of KCS to support the management team’s ambitions to grow the business and move into new markets, through both organic growth and acquisitions.
Clive Austin, who led the original deal for NVM and sits on the KCS board, said: “Ian and the team have done a great job developing the business in the two years since the buyout.
“The first acquisition was handled extremely well and we have high hopes for Datawright.
“We believe the acquisition has strong synergy benefits and will enable KCS to offer new functionality which is increasingly important to its customers. We are delighted to support this latest step in the growth of the business.”
KCS has a £25m-plus turnover and employs around 250 people in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and South Africa, dealing with more than 700 customers globally.
