JLT buys CMC

Swedish vendor JLT has acquired its UK distributor CMC as part of a major expansion plan for the region, with it planning to increase the firm’s revenue five-fold over the next three years.

The distributor, which is based in Runcorn, was formed in 2004 specifically to supply JLT’s products in the UK to multinational clients such as Fed Ex, Volvo and Rolls Royce, as well as the Swedish military.

The firm has announced that it will be soon announcing plans to target resellers that specialise in heavy industry, logistics and manufacturing.

"CMC has been our UK partner for four years and the company has opened up some exciting new market opportunities for JLT products," said JLT’s founder and CEO, Jan Olofsson.

"Both parties realised the time was right for major investment and acquisition of CMC is the perfect scenario by providing JLT an inside track to the UK market. It also provides the ideal platform for building a strong international brand and business," he added.

“We have ambitious plans for JLT in the UK and this is being backed with a six figure investment that will underpin establishment of strong channel sales and marketing capability," echoed JLT UK’s managing director, Mark Muslek (pictured left with CMC’s director Mark Dale-Lace, right).

"With the market for industrial automation set to grow quickly, the four year track record of activity in the UK means that we are ideally placed to establish JLT as the first choice in rugged industrial computers."

It is currently unclear what, if any, impact the deal will have on the firm’s name due to a possible conflict with Lincoln-based JLT Computers.