Updated: Telstra partner acquires Qld reseller for $4.6m

Telstra store operator Vita Group is pushing further into the enterprise with the acquisition of IT provider Camelon IT.

ASX-listed Vita Group will pay an upfront purchase price of $4.6 million and additional payments will be made over the next three years provided certain performance targets are met.

Vita chief executive Maxine Horne told CRN that Camelon's enterprise focus will drive Vita's growth in the enterprise and government space as the consumer market nears saturation.

"Part of the attraction is their customer base is at the large business-enterprise and the government end. We have an enterprise team but traditionally we're mobility specialists. We're looking forward to leveraging our scale."

It will use the Camelon IT acquisition to target enterprise and government customers with cloud technology solutions, managed data networks and unified communications.

Both companies work closely with Telstra; Camelon as an award-winning Telstra Next IP Certified Dealer, while the Vita Group resells Telstra services and manages 25 percent of Telstra's retail stores.

Horne told CRN Camelot's strong relationship with Telstra made it a more attractive proposition.

"That's very important to us. We have an 18-year relationship with Telstra."

"Over the last three years in part we've moved out of Fone Zone and towards Telstra stores. We have experienced strong growth primarily off the back of our retail footprint."

Vita Group is also the parent company of Fone Zone and Apple reseller Next Byte.

Myles McNamara, founder and managing director of Camelon IT, said: "Camelon has recorded consistent growth in recent years and we expect to see that continue, if not accelerate, under Vita’s ownership. Camelon’s service and consultancy offering complements Vita’s own products and services, and together we have an exciting end-to-end proposition for the business market."

Camelon will operate as the business IT brand of Vita Group as of 1 October under McNamara's leadership.

The integrator, which was founded in the early 1990s is based in Maroochydore on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.