GLASGOW-based call centre company Kura has acquired the contact centre division of Parseq and Stellar Europe Limited, both rivals also sited in the city.
Kura said the move makes it the UK’s largest independent outsourcer, employing around 3,000 people - 1,000 more than prior to the deal - and with sales of £75 million.
It also follows the announcement of a new joint venture based in Durban, South Africa.
Kura said it has bought additional contact centres in Sunderland and Hellaby in the north of England as well as in Glasgow and now operates from seven locations across the UK, which together with its software business Inisoft provide services to over 50 clients across industries.
Kura’s client base includes brands such as EDF, British Gas, Sunlife, BT, BMA (British Medical Association), Aegon, Moonpig and Autotrader.
Brian Bannatyne, Kura chief executive, above, said: “We are delighted to welcome everyone in both businesses to Kura.
"We are working hard to deliver our vision of being 'unrivalled in developing people' and our new employees will have a big part to play in this.
"There will be many positive changes across the business in the months and years ahead to bring this vision to life.
"With these acquisitions we have significantly increased our scale and capability whilst still retaining the close relationships, flexibility and innovation that our clients need.
"We will now be focused on integrating everyone into the Kura culture."
Mr Bannatyne said: “In an industry that is often beset by negative perceptions, we have many positive things to say.
"We are building a very different business at Kura.”
Parseq said the terms of the sale, which it said follows a successful turnaround of the business led by its executive chairman and chief executive Rami Cassis, are undisclosed, but the deal creates "significant value for shareholders".
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The Parseq contact centre division is based between Glasgow Quay, Sunderland and Hellaby.
Parseq’s finance and administration division, which is its historic core business, will continue to operate from the existing site in Hellaby.
Mr Cassis said: “The turnaround and sale of Parseq’s contact centre division demonstrates the value of investors who can deliver operational knowledge as well as capital.
"I now look forward to supporting the leadership team to continue Parseq’s stellar growth through its finance and administration division, which has secured nine new client wins this year and has a strong sales pipeline up to 2021.”
In April Kura said that its programme of significant investment was responsible for its pre-tax profits falling from £1.5m to £150,000 in the year to June 2017.
Kura said it is now celebrating a string of successes in a little over a year, including multiple contract wins and new sites, with one in Forres securing around 150 jobs for the Moray area and taking on an additional 120 staff in Glasgow.
Among the new contracts is the appointment to the Crown Commercial Service Framework, which will span the next four years and enable Kura to bid for government contracts which could support hundreds of new jobs.
It said providing commercial services to the wider public sector would mean Kura can tap into a potential value of £1bn worth of government contracts.
Kura and Trident Investments earlier unveiled their joint venture in Durban, taking on a business that services clients in both the UK and Australia and called Kura South Africa that employs around 100 people.
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