SCC launches investment programme to kick-start new phase of evolution and growth

11/2/2012 6:09 AM EST

SCC Chief Executive James Rigby

SCC is poised to make significant investments in facilities and staff as it prepares to strengthen its position as the preferred Technology and Cloud Solution partner for mid-sized companies and government organisations following the £220 million acquisition of Specialist Distribution Group (SDG) by Tech Data Corporation.

The deal, which saw parent company Specialist Computer Holdings (SCH) complete the sale of distribution arm SDG to Tech Data this week, will enable the technology, solutions and services brand to underline its status as one of the few European partners capable of providing mid-range companies with a complete range of end-to-end infrastructure services, enabling clients to leverage technologies like the Cloud on a pay-as-you-go basis from the moment they engage. Releasing immediate capital to accelerate SCC’s planned evolution, the move will enable the company to step up plans for growth as it seeks to focus on high margin segments of the industry including Storage, Intelligent Networks, Virtualisation, Data Centre technologies and the Cloud.

“This is one of the most significant moments in the history of SCC - giving us the added investment and momentum required to capitalise on the great strides the company has taken in recent years. Providing our clients with the comprehensive strategic and technical support they require to underpin sustainable growth and power development has always been our core business, and the investment provided by the disposal of SDG will allow us to strengthen our focus on that area of expertise moving forward,” said SCC Chief Executive James Rigby.

“At the moment mid-sized private and public sector organisations are caught in the gap between the large global integrators and niche local players, with very little choice in between. We see huge potential in that market - where there are few quality partners that share our range and depth - and the accelerated investment made possible by this move will enable us to further consolidate our reputation as the partner you absolutely want to have helping you to deliver 21st Century IT services.”

SCC, which earlier this year became the first UK provider to receive Pan-Government accreditation for its IL2 and IL3 rated Single Multi-Tenanted Cloud platform, the cornerstone of OptimiseCloud, has a track record of up-front investment in the facilities and expertise underpinning its services. In addition to a multi-million investment in its Cloud facilities, recent years have seen the company open an award-winning £25 million data centre and a custom-built solutions testing facility enabling clients to measure the performance and impact of new technologies prior to full implementation.

James Rigby added: “One of the keys to SCC’s success in recent years has been our readiness to roll up our sleeves and deliver the real world services the market needs, backing breakthrough technologies by investing in the facilities and infrastructure required to deliver 100% reliable, secure services to our customer base. As we move into the next phase of the brand’s evolution we expect that process to continue, with an extensive programme of investment and possible acquisition supporting our bid to become the partner of choice for mid-sized companies and government organisations across Europe.”

Group Chairman and Chief Executive Sir Peter Rigby commented: “SCH has successfully operated both SDG and SCC for 25 years, but with a consolidating channel the opportunity to maximise our return on investment and deploy a single focused strategy with SCC has become more apparent. In Tech Data we have identified the ideal a global parent to manage the next phase of the brand’s development, and are delighted to see the company transferred to the ownership of a key international player that we are confident will see it continue to prosper in the years ahead.”