New acquisition bolsters technology services and solutions capability

The EDM Group, the UK’s leading document management solution provider, has acquired business process technology consultancy Business Designs Ltd. in order to establish a Business Process Management (BPM) practice and further develop the Group’s vision to become the most comprehensive document management solution provider in the industry. The acquisition includes all existing Business Designs consultancy staff and a prestigious customer list that includes British Telecom, Channel 4 and Hallmark.

Sam Ferguson, the EDM Group’s chief executive, commented: “This is a step-change for EDM. The acquisition of Business Designs pushes us a year forward in our plan to become the only document management company in the UK market that can both scan large volumes and integrate documents into our customers’ key workflows and business processes. We see this as a major competitive advantage. “

Business Designs Ltd will become the BPM practice within the EDM Group, offering a solution for automating its customers’ manual document handling processes, such as loan or mortgage applications. The service will help EDM’s customers to cut costs, improve their enquiry response times and even move the manual document handling function offshore without compromising front-line customer service.

Spencer Wyer, founder of Business Designs, added: “Since the new management took over at EDM in 2006 the company has been transformed from a volume scanning bureau into a value-added solutions driven business. The direction that the company is taking gives it a unique place in the market. There are companies that do the BPM and technology consultancy element and companies that do the volume scanning, but only EDM can do both as part of the same solution. We are looking forward to winning and working with many more big name customers as part of the EDM Group.”

Spencer Wyer has been appointed as EDM Group’s Business Development Director.