Jordan O'BrienAVMI, an international AV integrator, has announced that it has acquired UK-based integrator, Focus 21. Details of the deal were undisclosed, but it’s thought that the tie-up will significantly enhance AVMI’s capabilities to design, deliver and support range of audio visual, collaboration technology and digital media solutions.
With six offices dotted around the globe, and two in the UK, AVMI is one of the largest pure-play audio visual integrators in the world, but now it is hoping to grow even further. Focus 21 may be smaller, but its £10 million annual revenue should boost AVMI’s £55 million takings.
It’s not the first time AVMI has targeted growth through acquisition. In fact, the company is only as big as it is today because it has acquired aggressively; although it has been dormant on the spending spree front since 2012, when it acquired Impact.
Founded in 1998, Focus 21 is an engineering company specialising in the integration and servicing of audio visual and video conferencing systems. Focus 21 says that what sets it apart is its ‘widely regarded’ professional approach, technical expertise and quality of service. That was recently recognised, as Focus 21 earned the distinction of being the first UK-based company to hold the ‘AV Provider of Excellence’ status.
“Focus 21 has an enviable reputation for the quality of its workmanship and its strong service culture, both of which are highly valued characteristics at AVMI,” comments Ed Cook, CEO of AVMI.
“Combining the two companies will allow us to bring together some of the industry’s most talented AV professionals and allow us to continue to evolve to meet the changing and increasingly global needs of our corporate customers. I am extremely excited to welcome the team at Focus 21 into the AVMI group”.
The deal expands AVMI’s industry footprint and allows it to leverage its operating scale to ensure customers gain access to the latest technologies at the best possible prices.
Founders of Focus 21, Jim Harwood and Nigel Warrilow, will no longer be involved in the business. Jim adds, “After twenty years of building up Focus 21, Nigel and I have decided that the time was right to step back and to hand over the reins to AVMI. It has been a great pleasure working with all our friends and colleagues at Focus 21 and we wish them every success in the future.”