Capita buys Cork business services firm in €35m deal

A Cork-based business services company has been bought by global outsourcing firm, Capita in a deal worth €35m.

The London-headquartered firm yesterday announced the acquisition of SouthWestern Business Process Services, based in Clonakilty in West Cork, from Ion Equity.

Commenting on the deal, SouthWestern chief executive Jim Costello said: “This is a massive vote of confidence in our business by one of the strongest and most respected outsourcing companies in the world and will enhance SouthWestern’s ability to achieve its full growth potential”.

The Cork company, which also has bases in the UK and Poland, provides front and back office business solutions across customer relationship management, financial shared services, data processing and inspectorate services.

Among its clients are Bord Gáis, the departments of agriculture and environment, Eircom, and Fáilte Ireland.

SouthWestern experienced strong growth under Ion’s ownership, expanding the business from 180 employees to over 1,000.

In February, the company announced 200 new jobs were to come on stream over the next three years at its Milton Keynes base, with another 40 to be created at its Cork headquarters.

Last year, it also announced a major five-year contract with the UK’s Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to deliver a livestock database.

Its strong association with the agricultural sector was one of the key areas of interest identified by Capita chief executive Andy Parker, who said: “SouthWestern is a highly respected outsourcing company with an excellent private and public sector client base. It has particularly strong relationships with organisations in the agricultural sector, which is a growing and new market for Capita”.

Cork Chamber president Gillian Keating welcomed the announcement saying it illustrated the scope for growth in the business outsourcing sector and highlighted that Cork is providing an attractive environment conducive to business.