Beech Tree-backed managed IT, cloud and digital transformation specialist strengthens cloud offering with third acquisition in 18 months

5th January 2021 – BCN Group, the Manchester-based managed IT, cloud and digital transformation specialist, has acquired Xicon Cloud for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition allows BCN Group to strengthen its best-in-class capabilities in managing and supporting business-critical applications in secure private cloud environments.

Warrington-based Xicon Cloud brings strong expertise and experience in public sector healthcare, being accredited to connect into and use the NHS’ Health and Social Care Network (HSCN), which complements BCN Group’s existing G-Cloud offering.

The NHS HSCN provides reliable, efficient and flexible ways for health and care organisations to exchange electronic information.

Xicon Cloud was established in 1991 and has built a formidable reputation for delivering highly resilient and high performing cloud platforms for business and mission critical applications.

Its accreditations to ISO 27001:2013, Cyber Essential Plus, and Information Governance demonstrates its high level commitment to customer data security.

The acquisition of Xicon Cloud provides the opportunity for BCN to broaden its product portfolio, in particular Oracle database management and consultancy, which will enable them to offer an all-encompassing data centre solution.  

The company has enjoyed strong organic growth in recent years and the acquisition will further boost BCN Group’s annuity contract revenue and margin.

The acquisition is the third in the past 18 months for BCN Group, which acquired Leeds-based Blue Logic in 2019 and Runcorn-based Polymorph in February 2020.

Simon Kelf, CEO of BCN Group, said:

“The acquisition of Xicon Cloud significantly strengthens our cloud product and service offering and provides a tremendous opportunity for BCN Group to further cement itself as a leading provider of cloud solutions.”

“In addition, I have been very impressed by the skills and talents of the Xicon Cloud team, who will be a great addition to BCN Group. I am incredibly excited about the growth potential this acquisition has created and how it will allow us to extend the range of solutions we can offer our customers.”

Simon Heyes, CEO of Xicon Cloud said:

“This exciting opportunity will allow both organisations and our customers to benefit from the joint capabilities of a larger team and wider product portfolios.”

“I have been extremely impressed with the experience and aspirations of the entire BCN Group management team and the synergies between our organisations. We are looking forward to continuing to provide a great service to our customers both old and new.”

Editor’s notes:

About BCN Group:

BCN Group is an IT and Cloud Services business co-founded by Simon Kelf and Matt Smith in 2009. The company’s core philosophy is to provide leading technology from global providers with comprehensive local support. BCN is based over four offices: Manchester; Leeds; Chorley and Runcorn and supports over 800 companies based in the North of England.

For over ten years the company has developed extensive expertise across “on-premise” IT solutions, has built its own BCN cloud infrastructure, and offers Microsoft’s Office 365 and Azure platform solutions. The company has very strong engineering and design capability and an entirely client centric culture which in recent years has led to market leading organic annual sales growth rates in excess of 25%.

To support BCN’s expansion strategy Beech Tree Private Equity invested in the company in 2018, and in April 2019 NatWest made significant acquisition banking facilities available. BCN is actively looking for further acquisitions.