Technology consultancy efex continues acquisition spree with Priority 1 deal
Advent Partners-backed technology consultancy efex has continued its national expansion through the acquisition of Queensland-based Priority 1, which focuses on the healthcare sector.
Established by Jamie Patch in Toowoomba in 2013 and covering Queensland’s Darling Downs region west of Brisbane, Priority 1 provides managed solutions to medical sector clients covering cloud, cybersecurity, automation, and managed IT.
Meanwhile, efex, which was sold to private equity firm Advent Partners towards the end of last year with an M&A mandate, continues to build on that promise, having less than two months ago also acquired Shepparton-based IT consultancy Compusult.
“Priority 1 is the market leader in their field, which bulks up our technical capability and allows us to reach clients that require more complexity and local boots on the ground,” said efex founder and CEO Nick Sheehan. “They have great clients, excellent staff, alignment on our tech stack and operate in a region that we’ve long believed strongly in from a growth perspective.”
Sheehan also let it be known that the healthcare sector was a strategic one for efex’s growth ambitions, with Priority 1 apparently serving more than 600 medical centres, healthcare practitioners, and other related businesses in Brisbane and the Darling Downs region since its inception, backed by a small team of around one dozen professionals.
“Priority 1 has always been focused on delivering dependable, high-quality tech support for organisations across our region,” Patch said, with his current LinkedIn profile indicating he will now take a career break. “Joining efex gives our clients access to broader capabilities and deeper resources, while preserving the local service and trusted relationships central to our success.”
Buy-and-build campaign
Bought for an undisclosed sum, Priority 1 is efex’s seventh addition in the space of two or so years, its overall tally now sitting around the one dozen-mark. The company recently changed hands from Alceon to Advent, and now has somewhere in the range of 350 professionals, with a strong focus on supporting regional Australia SME businesses locations such as Albany, Berri and Bendigo.
The firm said: “This acquisition continues efex’s strategy of expanding through aligned managed services businesses that strengthen our geographic footprint and deepen our sector capability. Customers can expect continued local support, backed by broader services, greater resources, and an ongoing focus on helping organisations work more securely, productively and efficiently.”
