Long standing partner, M2, acquire Hobs On-Site
SCC, Europe’s largest independent IT services business, has announced the acquisition of Hobs On-Site Limited. Hobs On-Site are the business processing outsource division of the Hobs Group. The new business will be renamed M2 Managed Document Services and sit alongside M2, SCC’s existing specialist Managed Print Services (MPS) business. M2 was acquired in 2014 by SCC, and the convergence of MPS with IT services has seen continued double-digit growth following this acquisition. The acquisition of Hobs On-Site enables the continued convergence, which many customers seek, in both print and document management. This acquisition will also drive a paper to digital strategy for customers, including cloud-based solutions. Hobs On-Site provide specialist services in document digitisation, document process re-engineering, print room, mail room and digital mail management. Their customer base is primarily large commercial and public sector organisations, in legal and construction sectors, as well as financial services. Simon Kelly, Managing Director of Hobs On-Site, will transfer with the acquisition and continue to run the specialist business. The plan is to set a strong growth path, whilst introducing specialist services to both M2 and SCC’s substantial customer base. James Duckenfield, CEO of Hobs Group, commented, “Hobs On-Site have an excellent client base, and provide services that businesses need as they go digital. We have worked in partnership with M2 for many years and agreed that their ability to grow the business is greater than ours. We are confident that the business is going to a fantastic new home, and one where we will maintain a strong relationship with our clients as well as with M2. We will continue to provide reprographics, legal support services and our range of 3D and virtual reality offerings through Hobs On-Site and to the wider marketplace.” John Taylor, CEO of M2 added, “We are delighted to bring Hobs On-Site into the family. They provide a complementary set of services to both our production printing business within M2 and SCCs digital workplace offering. We clearly plan to replicate the growth and customer convergence of specialist services in print and document management, whilst continuing to add specialist services.” SCC is owned by Rigby Group plc, the Stratford Upon Avon based private group, which operates multiple divisions in numerous countries with revenues in excess of £2.4bn.