Giacom teams up with KCom to form Microsoft provider powerhouse

Two leading Hull tech companies have joined forces to deliver Microsoft solutions to businesses across the region.

KCom is tapping into high-growth operator Giacom’s cloud service specialism to provide products and services from the global giant to commercial customers.

The partnership between the two businesses is described as creating a “Microsoft powerhouse” and sees the chief executive of the latter back working with his former employer.

It will boost the cloud application engineering capability that KCom already offers its large enterprise and public sector customers through its national business.

Sean Royce, KCom business development managing director, said: “I’m delighted to be partnering with Giacom to deliver Microsoft cloud services to our customers.

“It’s great to see two successful, local and award-winning businesses come together to create a world-class service for the region.

“Giacom offers a level of expertise and direct access to Microsoft that is unrivalled within the region and this will directly benefit our customers together with their superb level of service. And they are on our doorstep. This will also generate opportunities and investment within Hull and East Yorkshire and its thriving digital and tech sector.”

Both are familiar brands in the city - and with Hull City - with Giacom’s name on the shirt and KCom’s on the stadium. Both have also been bought out in the past 18 months too, with Giacom’s acquisition only recently completing.

Name game: Giacom and KCom connected on and off the pitch, and now in business as well as their sector. (CameraSport - Dave Howarth)

Mr Royce added: “As a business with deep roots in the region we have the best interests of the local economy at heart and always use local suppliers wherever possible. Our buy local approach means we aim to keep as much of the money we spend within the local economy, which makes me doubly delighted to have a thriving local business like Giacom on board.

“We’re proud to be partnering with a company that is a major part of the blossoming tech sector, which is creating jobs and prosperity across this region, all enabled and underpinned by the fastest and most reliable broadband network in the UK.”

Alongside the full fibre offering - recently expanded to the South Humber Bank - KCom also provides communication products to businesses, including Microsoft software that enables effective workplace collaboration.

Giacom chief executive Mike Wardell, who left KCom in 2016 - having worked up to finance director - to head across his home city to Hessle, said: “We’re delighted to be working with such a forward thinking and innovative company as KCom. There is much synergy between our two companies, especially with KCom also being a proud Yorkshire-based company.

“We’re looking forward to starting an exciting journey as we become their cloud partner and support them in providing a great service to their customers.”

Giacom’s model sees it support IT businesses with products to support their clients. It recently clocked up its one millionth licence.