AN EXPANDING telecoms and IT provider to businesses and organisations in the UK has made a further strategic acquisition in South Wales.
ITCS (UK) bought Bridgend-based Crestline Cyber Security, which provides digital asset protection, security resources and consulting, for an undisclosed figure.
It is the eighth acquisition by ITCS since being founded by Brian Stokes, Managing Director, nearly 22 years ago.
With the Crestline transaction, ITCS, headquartered in Bridgend, now employs a total of 65 plus staff with a turnover of £8m-plus.
ITCS’ operational footprint extends through South Wales and the Midlands to a data centre in London’s Docklands.
Brian said: “IT spend for businesses and organisations is typically around 5% to 10% of annual revenue.
“An increasing priority for them, due to the criminal exploitation of inadequately configured routers and network devices, along with other digital vulnerabilities, is cyber security.
“The acquisition further strengthens ITCS’s already extensive cybersecurity capabilities, bringing together two highly experienced teams with a shared commitment to protecting organisations from an increasingly sophisticated cyber threat landscape.
“By welcoming Crestline Cyber Security into the ITCS family, customers will benefit from an even broader portfolio of specialist cybersecurity services, fractional SCO, expert consultancy, strategic guidance and advanced protection incident response capabilities.
“The combined expertise will enable ITCS to deliver even greater value, helping businesses of all sizes strengthen their cyber resilience, safeguard critical digital assets and confidently navigate evolving security challenges.
“This strategic acquisition reinforces ITCS’s long-term commitment to investing in industry leading talent, innovative technologies and comprehensive security solutions that empower organisations to operate securely and with confidence.
“As cyber threats continue to evolve, ITCS remains focused on providing proactive, expert-led cybersecurity services that enable customers to stay ahead of emerging risks while supporting their wider digital transformation goals.”
“This acquisition enhances the depth of expertise within our cybersecurity practice and further strengthens our ability to deliver trusted, end-to-end security services to our customers.
“Together, we are even better positioned to help organisations build resilience, protect their operations and embrace the future with confidence.
“The acquisition represents another exciting chapter in the ITCS growth story, further cementing our position as a trusted technology partner and a leading provider of cyber security solutions across the UK.”
Crestline is ITCS’ eighth acquisition, following the company’s more recent ones of Midas Solutions in Bridgend and Poundbury Systems in Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset.
A government report updated this year on cyber security skills in the UK showed that nearly half of businesses had a “basic skills gap, struggling with essential tasks including setting up firewalls, managing personal data securely and detecting malware”.
Charities were more likely to have a basic skills gap (59%), while public sector organisations were much less likely (14%).
According to government figures, there are around 143,000 people in the cyber security workforce.
ITCS provides a comprehensive and flexible range of IT solutions to cover all of businesses’ requirements, including cyber security, business IT support, software development, telecoms and broadband/cloud, structured networking, web design and digital marketing.
For more information, visit the ITCS website.
