Two of Vodafone's biggest UK partners have combined following the acquisition of Evolve by Onecom which will take over Evolve's operations in London, Cambridge and Shoeburyness, along with Cardiff-based The Word which is owned by Evolve and will become Onecom's first office in Wales. The deal is expected to bring new earnings of £7m in the first year.
Evolve boasts an annual turnover of £20m and is Vodafone UK's third largest partner. Onecom currently generates £60m a year and is the mobile operator's biggest UK partner.
Vodafone has no equity interest in either company.
The acquisition will bring further investment in Onecom's total communications drive which sees mobile, fixed line, data and IT services offered to businesses as one integrated package.
The deal also adds circa 100 staff to Onecom's existing 350-strong workforce and 65,000 UK Vodafone business connections to its portfolio of accounts, taking the company's total number to over 300,000.
A post-acquisition priority is to invest in the Welsh operation and launch a recruitment drive to double the region's headcount. A number of new positions at Onecom's offices throughout the UK will also be created.
Darren Ridge (pictured), Onecom CEO, said: "Evolve's customer-focused approach and expertise in UC reflects Onecom's own strategy and values. Evolve will continue to blossom and grow under the Onecom brand."
Nick Birtwistle, Director of Partnerships and Alliances at Vodafone UK, noted: "Onecom and Evolve have been a part of the Vodafone Partner Programme since its inception and have led the field. This move will see them grow even stronger."
The acquisition follows Onecom's £1m investment in a new distribution centre in Hampshire.