Cloud communications specialist

Key Facts: 

• designs, deploys and supports communications technology for more than 1,700 business customers in the UK
• included in the Sunday Times Tech Track 100, Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500, the London Stock Exchange’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’
• founded in 1988, merged with Drumbeat in 2007 and has grown rapidly since, now recognised as an industry leader
• acquired by Wavenet Group in 2018, a cloud communications company backed by Beech Tree private equity

Key People: Mark Colquhoun, John Whitty and Andrew Marshall

How we’ve helped: Solar is one of a number of businesses in the telecoms sector we have worked with.  We were first introduced to the business in 2005 when we advised Mark Colquhoun on his sale of Call Options UK.  Drumbeat Communications began trading after the sale of Call Options and in 2007 we advised on its merger with Solar, a transaction which saw the enlarged group come under Mark’s ownership.   Since then, we have worked continuously with Mark and the business, right up to and including their recent sale:

• advice on customer and supplier contracts and partnership agreements
• acquisition of Armstrong Communications in 2012, which saw Solar expand into the North West and become a nationally recognised industry leader
• acquisitions of Denwa and RDC in 2016 and TWL and Fairford in 2017
• advice on group reorganisations and governance
• sale to Wavenet Group in 2018

Location: Chippenham