As part of its growth strategy digital and creative marketing agency Uprise Marketing has acquired web development and technology company VSIthinking.
The acquisition by the Treforest-based firm creates new digital marketing and web-technology firm, UpriseVSI, with a combined turnover of £1.2m and a workforce of 21.
The value of the deal has not been disclosed.
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VSIthinking
Established in 1996 by its current managing director, Mark Thomas, Cardiff-Bay-based VSIthinking specialises in providing web development and software solutions for companies across a diverse range of industries.
It has developed a particularly strong reputation within the travel, leisure and sport sectors, where its clients include the likes of Thomas Cook, Neilson Holidays, The Celtic Manor Resort, Erna Low and Fulham Football Club.
VSIthinking has also developed a range of its own proprietary software products, which include a content management system, an e-commerce solution, online event booking software, a CRM system and project management software
The company also has expertise integrating existing client software systems and was recently appointed by The Celtic Manor Resort to undertake a integration of its various booking systems to create a bespoke, single view CRM system.
VSIthinking employ a team of 5 staff, all of whom will be retained within the new combined business.
Uprise Marketing
Founded in 2012, Uprise now employs 16. The company has grown to a team of 16, with clients including Microsoft, Paramount Office Interiors, Edwards Coaches, Park Plaza Cardiff, DS Smith, and Castell Howell.
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Gareth Rees Jones, managing director of Uprise Marketing, said, “The skills and experience within Uprise and VSIthinking complement each other perfectly, and will allow us to greatly accelerate our growth as a company.
Combining the creative, design and digital marketing skills within Uprise with the technology, back-end development and integration skills that VSI provide, will allow us to tender for larger, more complex web projects and provide our clients with a full end-to-end creative, web development and digital marketing solution.
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We now have a fantastic opportunity to use our sales and marketing skills to help bring the solutions that UpriseVSI can offer to the attention of more companies both within Wales and beyond.”
Managing director of VSIthinking, Mr Thomas said: “It was obvious from the start that there was great synergy between the two companies and together we are greater than the sum of our parts, which is an exciting prospect.
“Our 18 years of technology innovation and our highly experienced team will provide both present and future clients of UpriseVSI with a robust, secure and scalable online platform.”
Fund and professional advisors
The deal was part-funded by a loan from Finance Wales who have also taken an equity stake in the new business.
Additional funding was provided by the two founders and majority shareholders in Uprise Marketing Mr Rees Jones, and finance director, Geoff Thomas, who will remain the major shareholders in the new combined UpriseVSI.
Geldards and KTS Owens Thomas acted for Uprise Marketing. Blake Morgan and Hugh James acting for VSIthinking and Broomfield Alexander, while and Hill Dickinson acted for Finance Wales.
Senior Investment executives Cenydd Rowlands and Stephen Galvin structured the company’s investment from Finance Wales. Mr Rowlands said, “The acquisition of VSIthinking by Uprise Marketing has created a strong agency, offering customers a comprehensive range of digital marketing services.
“South Wales has one of the UK’s fastest growing digital sectors and UpriseVSI will only strengthen its growing reputation.
“Finance Wales is pleased to back Uprise’s ambitious, high-calibre team. They have a wealth of expertise and our flexible equity and mezzanine funding package has enabled them to fund this exciting acquisition. We wish them well with their continued expansion and future growth.”
Uprise Marketing acquires technology firm VSIthinking to create new £1.2m business
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