Apex and AssurIT combine forces

Two firms merge to steal a march on mid-market and public sector

Two long-standing services players have merged to form one powerhouse targeting the mid-market and public sector.

From today, Apex Computers and AssurIT have combined forces and have been rebranded under the name APSU.

AssurIT has been a managed services player for more than 20 years, and has an extensive customer base.

This, combined with Apex’s name in the mid-market, will help the new entity achieve aggressive growth plans, the firm claims.

Nick King (pictured), chief executive of Apex, will remain a shareholder in APSU – but after 18 years has decided to focus on other interests, including raising money for charities close to his heart.

King will hand over operational responsibility to other members of the board.

The head of the new business will be AssurIT managing director Steve Ellis, CRN has learned.

All the Apex directors will remain as shareholders of the combined business.

Speaking to CRN, King said the merger made sense, had little or no overlap, and would present a strong force in the mid-market.

“We believe the sweet spot is the mid-market and it is where the larger service providers seem to have missed. Some of the larger players are trying to enter that marketplace because the higher-end customers have had budgets restricted – but do they have a mid-market culture? Absolutely not.”

Earlier this year Apex ended a strategic alliance with fellow IBM partner ACS after claiming the tie-up had served its purpose.