CMS Distribution Acquires UK Distributor Interactive Ideas

VAD CMS Distribution, Ltd. has acquired Interactive Ideas, an enterprise software distributor based in Enfield, London.

This acquisition confirms CMS Distribution’s position as the UK and Ireland’s largest independent VAD.

Commenting on the acquisition, Frank Salmon, founder and MD, CMS Distribution, said: “Interactive are experts in bringing new innovative enterprise solutions to market and are a very successful business, combined with CMS we will be able to offer our customers a broader range of leading innovative enterprise solutions with the best support in the industry.”

Synergies between two organisations:

• Both companies are niche VADs that focus heavily on delivering customer service, a differentiating factor when competing with broadline and global distributors.
• Interactive Ideas is complementary to CMS’s business in terms of product range and customer base. This acquisition and the addition of a experienced team will propel CMS to the leading distributor of innovative enterprise solutions in the enterprise market.
• CMS and Interactive will soon be able to offer more brands, more capabilities and more opportunities to their customers.
• Customers will benefit from the addition in terms of increased technical resources and additional enterprise software solutions that are complementary to the current offering from CMS.

Following the acquisition, CMS Distribution now has annual revenues of £166 million and employs 215 staff.

It will continue to run the business under the Interactive Ideas brand for the foreseeable future and Michael Trup will remain as MD.

He commented: “It’s a great move for my team as well as the vendors we represent. Being part of a larger, highly successful distribution business immediately and expands the sales opportunities for our combined portfolios. The opportunity that lies ahead is tremendous.”

Frank Salmon concluded: “Interactive Ideas will become an integral part of our enterprise division and an important contributor to our business objective of 20% annual growth and revenue of £200 million by 2014. We’re delighted to have them on board and it moves CMS Distribution to the next level.“