EDM and Sala International in £52m merger
Wolverhampton's EDM Group has merged with fellow information provider Sala International in a £52m deal.
The combined business will create one of the UK's largest outsourced information management services.
Sala International, which supplies document storage, has offices in Tamworth, Leeds and Essex.
The merger, which enables ECI Partners to exit its original investment in EDM Group, has been backed by private equity house LDC.
LDC provided a "substantial injection" of capital alongside debt funding provided by Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Acquisition Finance, said EDM Group.
Sam Ferguson will take the role of CEO. Mark Jones will be the EDM Group CFO, with Tomas Gronager, Sala International CEO taking up the role of COO.
Yann Souillard and Alex Clark of LDC will join the board as non-executive directors.
Sam Ferguson, chief executive of EDM Group, said: "It's great to see two high growth and ambitious information management companies join forces to leverage each other's key strengths, in turn providing a unique proposition that is of benefit to our new combined customer base.
"The merger is the latest development in the ongoing growth and evolution of the company and we will continue to invest in facilities, technology and staff to build our business expertise, innovative technology and robust outsourcing capabilities."
The group's customer base includes Avis Europe, Nationwide Building Society, Companies House, Legal & General, Grant Thornton and numerous healthcare providers including many NHS Trusts, Bupa and BMI hospitals.
