Irish comms provider Welltel has acquired IT services company Advanced Network Solutions (ANS), to foster expansion into high-growth markets.

ANS provides cloud, security, and managed IT services for companies. Its customers include Sonica, Designer Group and Colgate-Palmolive, along with clients across engineering and facilities management.

ANS’ 10 employees will immediately join the existing Welltel team, bringing its headcount to more than 200 staff.

Commenting on the acquisition, Welltel CEO Ross Murray said: “ANS’ highly-complementary business adds strategic value to Welltel with its experienced and accredited employees, a loyal customer base, and specialisation in cloud services, especially as we are seeing increased demand for digital and hybrid workspaces.

“It cements our position as the leading business communications provider in Ireland,” Murray added.

Dublin-headquartered Welltel is continuing its acquisition strategy with this latest deal. Last May, it snapped up connectivity and cloud specialist Strencom.

The comms company said Strencom’s infrastructure, including its nationwide network, can be leveraged with the ANS acquisition to provide wider technical competencies across secure cloud services and data connectivity for its customers.

ANS managing director Colum Traynor said: “We see the synergies between our two brands and how that that has translated through increasing the technical capabilities for our customers, with the ability to scale to support their growth.

“The customer-centric approach of Welltel mirrors our values at ANS, with the ability to provide large-scale services while retaining a personable service,” Traynor said.

‘Buy-and-Build’

Welltel is a rapidly growing communications and managed IT services provider, which now has more than 3,000 business customers in Ireland and internationally.

The company has been on an acquisition spree over the last two years, acquiring communications and connectivity solutions business Intellicom for €5.5m and Kildare-based IT service provider Novi for €3m in 2020.

A month before it acquired Strencom, Welltel also snapped up the Irish and UK operations of Capstone Intelligent Solutions. At the time of that deal, Welltel executive chair John Quinn said the company has an ongoing “buy-and-build strategy”.

Murray said the company has further acquisitions planned for this year, with the ambition of further expansion into UK and European markets.

Disclosure: Silicon Republic is a client of Welltel

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