Ekco has acquired Cork's Adapt IT in a deal the brings together two Irish managed service providers.

The deal, which is Ekco’s sixth acquisition in two years, also brings Ekco’s total acquisition investment to €57 million.

Adapt IT has been in business for more than 20 years, employs 37 staff, and serves customers in the small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SME) market. Its 300-strong customer base operates in industries such as manufacturing, retail, hospitality, legal, and finance.

The deal bolsters Ekco’s ability to support SMEs with unified, secure, and scalable technology solutions, the company said in a statement. Ekco’s global headcount is now more than 1,000 employees.

In addition to its three sites in Dublin, Ekco now operates in Cork, Waterford, and Laois, as well as across the UK, Netherlands, South Africa, and Malaysia. 

Cian Prendergast, chief executive at Ekco MSP, said the acquisition of Adapt IT is the latest move in the company's aggressive expansion strategy which targets key acquisitions combined with sustained business growth.

"This strategy reflects an investment in innovation that will make us in Ekco, and our acquired companies, stronger as a result.

"We're building a modern, security-first MSP that helps ambitious businesses to operate with confidence and resilience," he added.

John Levis, managing director at Adapt IT, said the company was delighted to join the Ekco group, an Irish-founded business which is on an impressive growth trajectory.

"This will enable us to continue to deliver top-tier services to businesses, backed up by the skills and resources of a larger group.

"We are seeing that even smaller businesses are seeking enterprise-grade IT and cybersecurity solutions - Ekco's expertise will help us to meet this growing demand as the volume and complexity of cyber threats continues to rise," he added.

Photo: (l-r) John Levis and Cian Prendergast. (Pic: Supplied)