Access Technology Group acquires Access Division of Holbrook IT Group

Leading Business Software Provider Maintains Momentum to 100m Revenue Target by 2017

Colchester, 17th November 2008 - Access Technology Group (ATG) has announced today that it has led the acquisition of the Access Accounting and Access Supply Chain division of Holbrook IT Group for an undisclosed cash sum. Holbrook IT Group is a long-term partner of ATG and is a specialist in ERP and financial IT solutions, counting well-known brands such as Topps Tiles and Henri Lloyd within its significant customer base. The acquisition is part of ATG's strategic growth plan to make the company the dominant player in the UK mid-market for business and accounting software solutions and has a 10-year plan to achieve 100m turnover. Having doubled in size since 2004 this acquisition will see it achieve 24m revenue in the current financial year.

Mike Smalley, MD of Holbrook IT Group, comments: "This is an important, strategic development for our company. We have a very strong relationship with Access Accounting, a subsidiary of ATG, spanning more than 10 years and I believe wholeheartedly that this move is the right thing for our people, our customers and our existing owners all of whom will continue to work closely with the new business."

Holbrook's Access division will be merged into the Armstrong Consultants Ltd division of ATG and its employees will become Armstrong employees. Existing customers will also be transferred seamlessly to Armstrong. They will all continue to enjoy the same high level of service, delivered by their existing team out of the current Holbrook IT Group office, only now as a part of a larger nationwide organisation.

"There is a great fit between the two organisations, both geographically and in value proposition. By adding Holbrook to our portfolio we gain the significant expertise of the staff and a great customer base. Our new customers get the benefit of scale and support that being part of the Access Technology Group brings." Alistair O'Reilly, Group Managing Director for ATG, comments. "It's a significant step on our growth path that includes organic growth via existing sales teams and channel partners, and strategic acquisitions such as this."

More broadly ATG will continue to operate its hybrid model of selling through both ATG owned resellers and its extensive network of independent channel partners. Independently owned resellers remain a critical element of ATG's growth plans and are given parity in every way, including profit margin, marketing support and sales-lead allocation. ATG strives to do more to support its channel than any other mid-market software author, and will continue initiatives such as professional channel training, dealer-days, director led growth forums and pre-sales support to sustain this.

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