12 October 2009

The owners of VoiteQ Ltd., the UK’s leading supplier of voice-directed warehousing solutions, have, via their new holding company, CentriQ Group Ltd., completed the acquisition of Cirrus Logistics Ltd., a leading supplier of simulation and optimisation solutions. The newly formed holding company brings together the two successful companies to create the foundations of their plans for growth. The CentriQ Group was formed by the existing shareholders of VoiteQ Ltd. to provide them with a vehicle through which they could expand and diversify. Both subsidiary companies will continue to trade as separate entities in the industries in which they have already proven to be successful and profitable.

Frank Heald, Chairman of all CentriQ Group companies stated “VoiteQ was originally formed from a core team who had worked together at the convenience store chain ‘Heald’s Day & Nite’ for many years; from these beginnings we have created a very successful and financially stable software company. We believe the newly formed CentriQ Group will provide us with the ability for further growth by making a small number of high quality acquisitions, such as Cirrus Logistics. Cirrus Logistics not only operates in the warehouse and logistics industry, one which has already proved to be successful for VoiteQ, but also in other sectors such as port berth management with their SEABEARTH product, providing us with opportunities to venture into new markets.”

Bob Blightman, one of the founders of Cirrus Logistics commented “For several reasons we were looking for a high quality partner that we felt confident could not only take the already successful business onto the next level of growth, but was also a partner that had the same people focussed values when it comes to running a business; a partner that ‘felt right’. In the VoiteQ team we firmly believe we have found both.”

Although the two subsidiary companies will continue to ‘stand alone’ under the new holding company, they plan to combine their strengths in the warehousing and logistics industry to offer a more ‘complete’ solution to their customers. The two experienced teams working together will be able to provide the enhanced warehousing solutions by combining the Cirrus Logistics warehouse modelling and simulation tool, CLASS with VoiteQ’s voice directed warehouse solutions.

David Stanhope, CEO of all CentriQ Group companies stated “We are very excited about this new venture, having already created one successful company we are ready for this new challenge. For the subsidiary companies involved it will be very much ‘business as usual’, although we are looking for new premises for the Cirrus Logistics team to provide them with the room for future expansion. Both businesses are already working hard with very experienced and knowledgeable teams so we see no reason to change that, we just want to take both companies to the next level and CentriQ will provide them with the support to enable this.”