New combined business to generate 50% growth and 35 new jobs

Dublin, Thursday 30 June 2016: Leading Irish IT consulting and managed services company, Arkphire has acquired networking solution provider, Bootstrap and will combine the two companies into a single, enhanced enterprise.  The new entity will have an unrivalled presence in the managed IT solutions and network procurement services sectors, with a highly experienced team of experts and annual revenues of over €55 million.

Arkphire has expanded significantly in recent years achieving a turnover for the year to 30 June 2016 of over €50 million, up from €30 million for the same period in 2015. Bootstrap had a turnover of over €4 million for its last financial year.

Paschal Naylor, Managing Director, Arkphire said the success of Bootstrap was due to the nurturing and development of the company by its owners Pauline and Martin White for over 30 years. “We have partnered with Bootstrap on a large number of network projects since 2013 and found that the two companies have similar values and business ethos.  We are really proud to now have the opportunity to work closer with such a great company and team of people as we enhance our technology offering to clients of both companies. In particular, the addition of Bootstrap’s networking experience to Arkphire’s existing capabilities in infrastructure solutions and managed services creates a comprehensive IT solution for our clients,” he said.

Pauline White, Managing Director, Bootstrap will continue in her role and join the management team and advisory board of Arkphire. Commenting on the new corporate structure she said: “I am delighted to bring over 30 years’ experience in the networking sector to the Arkphire team in support of the ambitious growth targets for the company. Arkphire and Bootstrap coming together enables us to offer our clients the benefits of the extended enterprise capabilities across the full spectrum of IT services. “

Arkphire aims to be a significant player in the IT services market with 50% growth in revenue and profitability by the end of 2017 as both companies enter a new stage of development. The company plans to recruit 35 more people over the next two years in support of its business growth.

Based in Sandyford, Dublin Arkphire currently employs 55 people in Dublin, London and San Francisco. Bootstrap, a Cisco Gold Partner, is also based in Sandyford and employs 16 people. The two offices will continue to operate in their separate locations and under the existing brand names within the new corporate structure.

Bootstrap is a leading networking solution provider with over 37 years in business.  One of Ireland’s longest established, Irish owned and managed IT companies it is a Cisco Gold Partner and ISO 9001: 2015 registered.

Arkphire works with vendor partners including EMC, VMware, Veritas, Dell and Cisco to deliver tailored IT infrastructure solutions for clients in the telecommunications, finance, healthcare, manufacturing and energy sectors. It also provides IT support for clients, in many instances offering full outsourced IT management. A separate strand of Arkphire’s business is the provision of ICT procurement services to US multinational clients.

About Arkphire:
Arkphire is a leading Irish owned IT Consulting and Managed Services company with operations in Dublin and London. Its turnover in the 12 months to end June 2016 was over €50 million.

Dating back to 1976, the business specialises in transforming how IT delivers long-term value for its clients. Arkphire has three interconnected services and solutions business divisions:

• IT Product Procurement Services
• IT Infrastructure Solutions
• IT Managed Services

For more than 40 years Arkphire has been designing, managing and advising on business-led technology projects for customers ranging from large multinationals, leading Irish organisations and public sector agencies within a wide range of industries including telecommunications, finance, healthcare and energy.

The Irish management team includes Paschal Naylor, Managing Director, Howard Roberts, Technical Director, Brid Graham, IT procurement services and Jimmy Dalton, Chief Financial Officer.

About Bootstrap:

Bootstrap is a leading networking solution provider with over 37 years in business.  One of Ireland’s longest established, Irish owned and managed IT companies it is a Cisco Gold Partner and ISO 9001: 2015 registered.

Bootstrap’s success derives from the ability to design, implement and understand networks requiring high degrees of interoperability, as well as its attention to detail and quality of service.  Bootstrap has a flexible, agile and quick to respond support team that allows the company to be customer focused providing end-to-end solutions and support.

Bootstrap has built a reputation in the IT industry for the quality of its solutions and support - a reputation which continues to grow. It provides a very high level of service, which earns the company a high rate of customer satisfaction and retention. Bootstrap has a loyal customer base, some of whom have worked with the company since it was first established in 1979.

Bootstrap’s success is built on providing services that its customers require and rely on, resulting in long-term relationships which in turn provide customers with the comfort of a reliable, secure and high performing network.

Bootstrap’s owners are Pauline and Martin White and it employs 16 people in Sandyford, Dublin.