Orca IT Ltd, co-founded by Managing Director Mark Tunstall and Technical Director Alex Pimperton, specialises in delivering end-to-end managed IT services, support, hosted desktop, cloud solutions and strategic guidance, with more than 20 years of experience of working with professional services organisations. This is the first acquisition since FluidOne secured a committed acquisition facility with Pemberton in June 2024.
Orca represents the company’s ninth acquisition since the MBO led by Russell Horton in 2019, with revenues now exceeding £113m. The acquisition strategy over these years has seen the business quadruple in size and pivot to be one of the UK’s leading IT and Cyber Security-led managed service providers, now being over 50% in IT and Cyber revenue streams with Lancashire-based Orca on board. Also following the March 2024 acquisition of SureCloud Cyber Services, the FluidOne group now employs 540 people across nine office locations.
Through FluidOne, organisations can maximise agility, benefits, and opportunities from cloud-based applications and AI with Connected Cloud Solutions that are secure by design. The business also works in partnership with its customers, bringing the highest quality professional and managed services to “mid-market plus” IT estates, all while maintaining a ‘customer-first’ culture and values that have led to consistently achieving one of the highest Net Promoter Scores (NPS) in the industry (securing 83 for July 2024). Orca’s customer approach is a complement to this, and it has been rated 4.9 out of 5 as a top Managed IT Services Provider in the UK.
Russell Horton, FluidOne CEO, commented:
“I couldn’t be more pleased that Mark, Alex and the team at Orca are joining FluidOne, building on our strategic, long-term growth strategy. Orca is a great business that matches the values and vision FluidOne has established and strives for. We’re delighted to bolster our IT Centre of Excellence with its expertise and to provide support for Orca’s team to scale their business and deliver wider FluidOne offerings to their customers.”
Mark Tunstall, Finance and Managing Director, Orca IT Ltd, said:
“We are excited about the prospect of what this acquisition means for the staff and clients of Orca. With the backing of FluidOne, we will be able to extend our reach within professional services, including Accountants. By becoming a regional branch of FluidOne’s, we’ll be able to build on our strengths in IT Managed Services, drawing on support from the group and adding further Cyber Security services, as well as Connectivity, Mobile and Unified Communications.”
Post-acquisition, FluidOne’s CEO, Russell Horton, is to become Chairman of Orca IT Ltd, with FluidOne Directors Simon Ward and Chris Rogers also becoming board directors.
