Callcredit looks for more work following acquisition

Callcredit has bought the London-based software services and consultancy provider Coactiva for an undisclosed sum.

Peter Mansfield, the managing director of Callcredit, said: “We’re always on the lookout for organisations that would complement what we do as a core business.”

Callcredit sells credit reference and marketing services to businesses and, in 2012, it launched a free consumer service called Noddle. Established in 2001, with offices in London and Wales, Coactiva analyses large amounts of data to help public sector organisations function more efficiently.

Coactiva, which has a turnover of around £3m and 30 staff, enables organisations to reduce costs, increase revenue and improve service through the use of risk- based analytics.

The company’s software has 23,000 users across the UK, including 1,800 educational establishments, 130 local authorities and organisations within social housing, the emergency services, health and leisure.

Mr Mansfield added: “The acquisition of Coactiva further demonstrates our continued commitment and enthusiasm to developing our public sector business. We have enjoyed significant success and growth since its inception three years ago and this acquisition reflects our ambition for this sector.”

Ray Fielding, Coactiva’s chief executive, said: “This is an exciting new chapter in the development of our vision to bring true innovation and value to the public sector. Coactiva has grown rapidly in recent years, and this step will give us access to new markets. In Callcredit we immediately recognised an organisation with a similar culture to ourselves, an ambitious UK company with a real commitment to customers, to staff, to quality and to making a difference”.

Leeds-based Callcredit saw its turnover and profits soar last year as banks, insurers and retailers invested in new ways to find out about their customers.

The company reported a 25 per cent rise in turnover to £114m and a 40 per cent rise in operating profits to £17.3m.

Callcredit has more than doubled in size since it was sold by Skipton Building Society to private equity firm Vitruvian Partners for a reputed £120m in 2009.

Callcredit has around 1,000 staff, including 600 based in Leeds.

In 2012, it opened a new IT support and development centre in Lithuania to add to offices in Dubai and Tokyo. In March 2013, Callcredit secured an acquisition which helped to increase its presence in the digital marketing sector. Callcredit bought the online consumer data provider Lifestyles Online, which has 16 staff and is based in Bath.