Southampton: IT provider shows dynamic growth

A fast-growing Southampton based IT and business solutions provider, aap3, is set to increase its annual turnover from £16 million to £27m following the acquisition of Preferred IT, a specialist recruitment business for its sector.

All aap3 and Preferred IT’s Southampton based staff will be located at the company’s new prestigious headquarters in the Benham Campus development at Southampton University Science Park.

In addition to its strong regional base, aap3 has offices in London and California together with legal entities across the USA, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. In total there are now in excess of 500 employees world wide.

The main focus of aap3’s activity is enabling business, which it delivers by advising customers on their business & IT strategies, while implementing technology projects and programs and managing complete IT portfolios for its customers. It serves both Enterprise & SME corporations globally. The expanded business will also help customers to recruit the right internal IT, HR, Marketing and Accountancy staff, who will interface with both their individual employers and aap3’s consultants if required.

aap3 was known as Preferred International Managed Services until 2008 when its name was changed to reflect its ethos. aap3 is an acronym for All About People, while the figure three signifies the three areas in which the company excels – people, process and productivity.

aap3 and the newly acquired Preferred IT have a long and intertwined history, having been formed as a single business, rapid growth soon witnessed the organisation receive two Virgin Fastrack awards. The decision was then taken to split into two separate companies in 2004, which was a strategic decision to enable the two businesses to specialise in their two separate areas of IT Managed Service (aap3) and IT Recruitment (Preferred IT).

The combined business will be led by Rod Jackson, the current president and chief executive officer of aap3. David Clayden and Kathleen Smith, directors of Preferred IT prior to the takeover, will both become senior vice presidents of aap3 and members of its executive leadership team as well as continuing to run the recruitment business.

Commenting on the acquisition, Rod Jackson chief executive officer of aap3 said: “This is an exciting time for the company, and the synergy between the two organisations can be expected to bring considerable benefits to the entire current and future customer base. This acquisition is a matter of considerable opportunity.”

For more information about aap3 and the solutions they provide to businesses please visit www.aap3.com or call 0845-2300-189.