CDS has acquired a fire safety and compliance company whose innovative technology helps protect both Oxford and Cambridge Universities and swathes of the NHS.
Hertfordshire-based Drax 360 joins the expanding CDS stable this week – bringing with it its alarm management software, a prestigious client base, complementary skills and the clout and expertise of its long-established team.
The company, whose head office will remain in Letchworth, which has an excellent reputation in the sectors in which it operates and an impressive education and healthcare portfolio, shares sector expertise with CDS.
Its software enables the integration of multiple systems on complex sites, increases engineer efficiency and help clients ensure compliance.
Drax 360’s software technology capability will enable CDS to expand the options available to existing clients, while CDS’ three decades expertise in a range of complementary sectors will give extra breadth to the Drax 360 business.
The education and healthcare markets are two areas in which both companies excel, with CDS seeing a growing number of higher education institutions choosing its expertise in an increasingly complex industry.
Both companies are Honeywell Gent Elite Technology Centres, with CDS also enjoying Honeywell Notifier Gold Partner status. Drax 360 also works closely with a number of other technology partners.
Drax 360 MD Philip Cunningham and commercial director Alex Cother will continue to support the business, ensuring continuation of their valuable expertise.
CDS chairman Simon Cashmore said: “We’re thrilled that Drax 360 is joining the growing CDS group. We really love the Drax technology and are looking forward to developing it further and incorporating it more broadly across the businesses’ combined customer base.
“Drax 360 is a perfect fit both in terms of our strategic goals of geographical reach and in establishing a technology-based compliance platform. The acquisition provides a unique opportunity to deliver genuine innovation in traditionally conservative markets.”
Drax 360 MD Philip Cunningham said: “We’re delighted to be joining the flourishing CDS business, a company as passionate about compliance as we are.
“Technology-led solutions which simplify data collection will offer significant benefits to both end users and service providers. With a growing appetite for Cloud-based analytics, this acquisition comes at an exciting time for the industry.”
Drax 360 commercial director Alex Cother added: “We are very happy to be part of CDS’ exciting buy-and-build journey. It means that between us we have expanded resources, geographic coverage and capabilities to continue driving value and providing further enhancements in the life safety sector.”
The latest acquisition follows the purchase over the past few months of several compliance companies. These include Harrogate-based water and energy compliance specialist Genex, Durham-based electrical testing specialist Safety Checked, Monmouthshire-based Tann Synchronome and Powerpoint Fire Systems in Middlesex.
- Martin Iliffe, Keith Helstrip, Simon Abley and Simon Cashmore from CDS welcome Drax 360 MD Philip Cunningham, commercial director Alex Cother and operations director Glenn Grant
