North East Ed-Tech Specialist eQuality Solutions acquires Amano Technologies

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North East Ed-Tech Specialist on track to achieve £20m turnover with first acquisition in ambitious ‘buy and build’ growth strategy.


North East headquartered eQuality Solutions (eQS), has acquired South West-based Amano Technologies, expanding geographic reach and capabilities in the education and workplace support market, and is actively looking for more disability or wellbeing businesses to add to its portfolio.  


The acquisition marks the first stage in the company’s major growth strategy, setting the company on track to reach a turnover of £20m over the next few years. This ‘buy and build’ strategy, is supported with funding from London-based Shard Credit Partners, aiming to expand its specialist technology and service offering, opening up channels into new markets and creating greater scalability.


eQS CEO Andy Gough said:

“Our aim long-term is to build on our national presence, offering innovative, high-quality, specialist services, and our search for the next opportunity in our acquisitive strategy is already underway. As we look to add to our portfolio, we encourage any business owners or advisors with clients in the disability or wellbeing space to reach out to us for a confidential discussion.”

eQS provides assistive technology equipment, training and software that help to remove barriers to learning, and now, following the acquisition of Amano, learning support services known as non-medical help (NMH). 


Amano’s specialist NMH provision includes study skills tutors, mental health mentors, British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters and more. Amano’s 10 Devon-based staff and 160 consultants located across the South West will now join eQS’ 120-strong team.


Advising eQS on the acquisition of Amano Technologies was Newcastle-based RG Corporate Finance (RGCF), led by Partner and Head of Corporate Finance, Carl Swansbury. He was supported by Corporate Finance Senior Manager Rhiannon Nightingale and Corporate Finance Assistant Ben Kain. 

Strategic tax advice was provided by RGCF’s Business Tax Partner Simon Whiteside and Director, Simon Hopwood. Financial and tax due diligence was provided by RGCF’s Audit and Assurance Partner, Grahame Maughan and Director, Andrew Cameron.


Legal advice was provided by Ward Hadaway, led by Corporate Partner, Tom Pollard. He was supported by Corporate Solicitors, Liam Stubbs and Jamie Guy.


eQS has also engaged RGCF to support its ongoing acquisition strategy. RGCF Partner and Head of Corporate Finance Carl Swansbury said:

“The acquisition of Amano is the first step in the fast-track growth plans eQS has set for the next three years. The team at RGCF will be actively identifying further acquisition opportunities, particularly of businesses that provide specialist disability and mental wellbeing services to the private sector and have their own proprietary software that can add value to eQS’ capabilities. We look forward to helping the eQS management team scale the business over the coming months.”


ENDS

Safiya Marzook

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