Logicalis UK Expands Video and Video Managed Services Business With Acquisition of Direct Visual Limited

SLOUGH, England, January 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Acquisition Cements Logicalis' Position as Leading UK Cisco/Tandberg Unified Communications, Video Conferencing, and Telepresence Partner

Logicalis Group, the international IT and Communications solutions integrator, has reached an agreement and contracts have been exchanged to acquire Direct Visual Limited, a UK based Tandberg (now part of Cisco) Platinum Partner and one of the UK's leading independent suppliers of video communications solutions and video managed services.

The acquisition further strengthens Logicalis' Unified Communications and Collaboration business, and creates within Logicalis a highly skilled centre of excellence for the newly combined Cisco/Tandberg solutions set - from desktop video, integration of video and unified communications and collaboration, room systems, and Cisco and Tandberg Telepresence solutions. The acquisition also extends Logicalis' managed and hosted video communications and collaboration services. Direct Visual was established in 1996 as a Tandberg reseller and is now one of its largest UK solutions partners. In the intervening years Direct Visual has become one of the UK's largest and most capable providers of video conferencing, and has innovated in the use of video solutions in both the public and private sectors.

Tom Kelly, Managing Director of Logicalis UK, comments: "Video has been an important market for Logicalis for some time, and as we look forward, we expect video to become an ever more important part of our integrated Unified Communications and Collaboration (iUCC) solutions and services portfolio. Organisations are now looking to seamlessly integrate video into a user's communications experience, and with the acquisition of Direct Visual, Logicalis now offers a compelling proposition to the UK market.

"Direct Visual brings the highest levels of technical expertise with a strong management team and supplier relationships. With Logicalis' extensive customer base and existing managed services offerings there is great opportunity to further develop a new range of managed video service offerings to our joint customer base."

Direct Visual was one of the first video providers to the users of the Joint Academic Network (JANET), a relationship which complements Logicalis' strengths in Higher and Further Education, Local Government, and Health, and enhances Logicalis' recent connection of its Tier3+ data centre and cloud offerings to the JANET community. Direct Visual also has a strong private sector base, and Logicalis intends to leverage the organisation's capabilities in video to rapidly expand a new portfolio of 'knowledge collaboration' solutions and services; specifically in the financial, retail, and professional services industries.

Kelly comments, "Logicalis was a leader in the deployment and integration of IP communications solutions throughout the last decade, and today we are still one of Cisco's most capable IP telephony partners. It is our intention to continue this leadership in the unified communications and collaboration solutions and services market, and we recognise more than most that it is not simply the ability to deploy video technology that is important to our customers, but, it is the ability to integrate visual communications into their business processes and employees' daily working practices that makes video a true business change agent.

"With our acquisition of Direct Visual, and recent investments in our high-density data centre and Cisco-based cloud platform, we are now positioned as the most capable and committed partner to deliver a new 'virtual experience' to the market, whether they wish to own and operate it themselves, have it delivered as a managed service, or consume it from the cloud. Logicalis now offers the most comprehensive set of integrated communications solutions and services of any partner in the UK, and our customers can deal with a single partner who can truly deliver all of their video or wider unified communications and collaboration needs."

About Direct Visual

Direct Visual is the UK's leading supplier of Telepresence and Video Communications to public and private organisations. Its unique value is in providing technical expertise coupled with an in depth understanding of its customers' requirements, to realise significant, meaningful and cost-effective benefits.

Direct Visual has expertise in Telepresence and Videoconferencing networking, managed service delivery, mass deployment of video communications to the desktop, and sophisticated Audio Visual Integration in meeting rooms, auditoria and boardrooms.

Continued commitment is made to remain at the forefront of visual technology, underpinned by continued investment in new skills in Unified Communications, Audio Visual systems integration, Business Process Analysis and Project Management.

Direct Visual is very proud to have been awarded recognition from leading manufacturers including Cisco, Tandberg (now part of Cisco) and Polycom for excellence in both technological innovation, as well as its exemplary services to its customers.

"Direct Visual is proud to offer what we consider the finest service in our industry, and we will continue to provide innovative Telepresence and video communication solutions, underpinned by remarkable customer service as part of the Logicalis Group. Adele Thornton Head of Commercial Sales Team, Direct Visual comments, "we are very excited about what the future holds."

For more information, visit http://www.direct-visual.com

About Logicalis

Logicalis is an international provider of integrated information and communications technology (ICT) solutions and services founded on a superior breadth of knowledge and expertise in communications & collaboration; data centre; and professional and managed services.

Logicalis Group employs over 1,900 people worldwide, including highly trained service specialists who design, specify, deploy and manage complex ICT infrastructures to meet the needs of over 5,000 corporate and public sector customers. To achieve this, Logicalis maintains strong partnerships with technology leaders such as Cisco, HP, IBM and Microsoft.

The Logicalis Group has annualised revenues in excess of $1 billion, from operations in the UK, US, Germany, South America and Asia Pacific, and is fast establishing itself as one of the leading IT and Communications solution integrators, specialising in the areas of advanced technologies and services.

The Logicalis Group is a division of Datatec Limited, listed on the Johannesburg and London AIM Stock Exchanges, with revenues in excess of $4 billion.

For more information, visit http://www.uk.logicalis.com.