Acquisition of training providers said to “strengthen market share”

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Carter & Carter Group has today announced the acquisition of three vocational learning companies for a sum of £23.4 million.

In a statement released earlier today, they announced the purchase of NTP Ltd [£7.9m], IMS (UK) Ltd [£3.5m], and the training division of Quantica plc [£12m].

Procuring the three companies builds on earlier purchases that include Fern Training and Development Ltd, Assa, Emtec and ReMIT.

Philip Carter, Group Chief Executive of Carter & Carter, commented: “We are delighted to announce these three acquisitions which strengthen our position in Train To Gain, make us the biggest provider in the London area and add funding management capability to the Group. I would like to welcome all of the businesses” employees to Carter & Carter”.

Outlining the group’s policy on buying, the statement continued: “In addition to the commercial benefits for Carter & Carter, these acquisitions are aligned with the Governments” strategic thinking on training as well as the views expressed in the recently published Leitch Review of Skills”.

“In the Chancellor’s pre budget speech last week, he endorsed the Leitch proposal to significantly increase the number of adults involved in the Train To Gain initiative to 350,000 by 2011. He also accepted the initiative to increase the number of apprenticeships from 250,000 to 500,000 by 2020″.

The move is said to “further strengthen market share in the flagship government initiative, Train to Gain”, adding 3,500 apprentices, whilst giving the company “significant increased presence” in the London and North West markets.

Les Lawson, Chairman and Chief Executive of Quantica, said: “The disposal of Quantica Training, which follows the disposal of Quantica Healthcare announced in October, represents a further step in Quantica’s transition to become a recruitment company which is wholly focused on professional services sectors”.

Vijay Pattni.

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