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DEALMAKERS By Ged Henderson
IN ASSOCIATION WITH:
Heath Groves
SUNDOWN SALE HERALDS A BRIGHT NEW DAWN
In what has been described by industry watchers as a ‘hugely significant’ move, a major new tech business has been created following the sale of Lancashire headquartered technology consultancy Sundown Solutions.
The strategic acquisition of Sundown, based at Time Technology Park in Simonstone, was carried out by Ancoris, a Google-dedicated, AI and data problem solving business, headquartered in Bracknell in Berkshire.
The two companies have now merged and launched a new business called Telana, providing AI, data, software development and cloud engineering services.
Significantly, Telana, which means ‘where treasures are kept’ in Zulu, holds partnerships with Microsoft and Google Cloud. The merger move was backed by Beech Tree Private Equity, headquartered in Birmingham.
No figure was put on the Sundown sale which was announced in early April. No jobs have been lost and there are no plans to close any offices following the deal.
Announcing the move, Telana said the deal was focused on “growth and scale”. The new business has a 100-strong workforce.
It will look to combine Ancoris’ renowned expertise in AI, data, analytics and application development with Sundown’s robust security, managed services and highly-regulated cloud infrastructure capabilities.
A statement announcing the deal said: “This synergy represents a powerful evolution and creates a market-leading team focused on delivering actionable, outcome-focused solutions to solve its customers’ biggest challenges.”
its defence and public sector arm as managing director and will become a board member.
In its statement, announcing his new role a Telana spokesperson revealed: “This is a key market for us moving forward.”
Heath is excited by the possibilities that exist for the new merged business and for the workforce in east Lancashire.
The technology services market has evolved and customers need partners who can deliver real business value across different technology stacks
Husband and wife team Heath and Kelly Groves set up Sundown in 2009 and as a digital transformation specialist it has worked with SMEs, blue-chips and government bodies, helping them exploit technology to improve performance.
Sundown is a former Red Rose Award winner. Its chief executive Heath started on his entrepreneurial journey after leaving the Army. Kelly’s background is in the care and health sector.
He will take on a co-chief executive role in Telana for the first three months before moving to run
He describes it as an “incredible opportunity” for staff to “grow, develop and work with diverse technologies that enhance their skills and expertise”.
The deal was seven months in the making and he explains: “We were looking for a strategic move and this made massive sense.
“By coming together under Telana, we’re gaining new team members, expanding our technology portfolio and welcoming fresh customers and partners.
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