Cloud computing firms Onyx and Pulsant announce merger
Two cloud computing firms with significant presence in Scotland are to get together, with the takeover of Onyx by Pulsant.
The deal between the data storage and processing firms builds a company with 400 staff and an annual turnover of about £75m.
It will have more than 4,000 customers across several business sectors.
The company will offer a service to which many more clients are turning for more flexible IT provision.
Pulsant grew by acquiring companies, with one of the original elements being the pioneering EdNet company, based in Edinburgh from 1994.
That was renamed Lumison, which was bought in 2010, and the next year it took over ScoLocate, a Scottish cloud computing firm.
For the past two years, Oak Hill private equity fund and Scottish Equity Partners have been the main shareholders of the Reading-based company.
The merger means the enlarged Pulsant will take on data centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, in addition to Sheffield and Newcastle. Onyx brings niche expertise in applications management, managing services for clients remotely and on-site, as well as providing IT recovery and security.
Pulsant's headcount in Scotland will be boosted to 112 as a result of the deal.
Its chief executive, Mark Howling, said: "Following the acquisition of the Onyx Group, Pulsant will have a much larger presence in Scotland.
"In addition to its existing data centre facilities in the region - two sites in South Gyle and one in Newbridge - Pulsant will have another site near Edinburgh to the west of the city, as well as a site in Glasgow.
"Approximately one-third of its revenue will be derived from business in Scotland, across both the private and public sectors in Scotland, with almost 25% of its operating capacity held in the region."