Evernex buys Empowered & OrderWork in UK expansion

Evernex has acquired UK-based Empowered and OrderWork, in a deal announced by its owner, 3i.

The acquisition brings large-scale IT infrastructure deployment services into Evernex's business and adds the OrderWork field service management platform. Empowered works with IT partners, including systems integrators, telecom providers and managed service providers, on projects such as data centre migrations, network modernisation, Wi-Fi and LAN refreshes, and SD-WAN rollouts.

OrderWork, a sister company to Empowered, operates a platform used to manage the delivery of professional services projects in the field. The companies say the software coordinates end-to-end delivery and replaces manual service desk processes.

The purchase is Evernex's tenth acquisition since 3i invested in the business in 2019. It also expands the company's UK footprint, with Empowered and OrderWork both based in Bedfordshire.

Evernex focuses on data centre maintenance and broader IT lifecycle services. The deal extends its work further upstream into infrastructure deployment, complementing its existing maintenance and end-of-life operations.

UK expansion

The move adds a UK channel services provider that supports telecom operators, IT integrators and other partners delivering complex infrastructure programmes. These projects can span multiple sites and require coordination of logistics, engineers and delivery across a national estate.

Evernex operates internationally and has a presence in more than 165 countries. It supports more than 692,000 IT systems worldwide and holds nearly one million spare parts across more than 340 locations.

That international reach appears to be a key attraction for the sellers, whose businesses have focused on deployment projects and field service orchestration in the UK market. The transaction links that local delivery model with a broader maintenance and support network.

"Empowered and OrderWork are an excellent fit for Evernex. It strengthens our presence in the UK, deepens our professional services and deployment capabilities, and brings a proven service-delivery platform to the group - extending the value we can offer customers across the IT infrastructure lifecycle. Darren, James and their teams have built something exceptional in the UK, and we are delighted to welcome them to Evernex," said Stanislas Pilot, Chief Executive Officer of Evernex.

Empowered was founded in 2006 and OrderWork in 2005. Both are headquartered in Bedfordshire and have built their businesses around managing and executing large deployment programmes for partners rather than selling directly as hardware manufacturers.

Lifecycle strategy

For 3i, the transaction continues a strategy of building Evernex through acquisitions that broaden the range of services it can offer around enterprise IT infrastructure. The latest purchase adds deployment work at the start of the lifecycle to a group already focused on supporting equipment after installation and beyond original manufacturer support.

In practical terms, Evernex can now cover a broader range of customer requirements, from rolling out new equipment and network changes to maintenance and later-stage support. The addition of OrderWork's software platform also gives the enlarged business an internal tool for coordinating project delivery.

Darren Liles and James Anderton, Co-Chief Executive Officers of Empowered and OrderWork, described the deal as a new stage for both businesses as part of a larger group.

"We are incredibly excited to bring Empowered and OrderWork into Evernex. This marks a significant step in our journey, combining our deep expertise in complex deployment and agile service delivery with Evernex's global reach. Together, we can scale faster, broaden our capabilities, and deliver even greater value to partners across the full IT lifecycle," said Liles and Anderton.

The acquisition also highlights the importance investors continue to place on businesses that support the ongoing operation and renewal of corporate IT estates. As organisations update networks, move workloads and extend the life of installed equipment, suppliers that can handle both deployment and maintenance have become more relevant across the services chain.

Marc Ohayon, Partner and Co-Head of France Private Equity at 3i, said the purchase fits that broader plan for Evernex's development.

"Empowered is a highly complementary acquisition for Evernex. It adds expertise in large-scale infrastructure deployment and strengthens Evernex's positioning across the IT lifecycle value chain. The acquisition is another important step in Evernex's strategy of building a global, integrated IT lifecycle services platform," said Ohayon.