Certification Europe acquired by British group Amtivo

Irish-based company works with international firms on training and ISO certification

Dawn Walsh of Kernel Capital with Michael Brophy, chief executive of Certification Europe.
Dawn Walsh of Kernel Capital with Michael Brophy, chief executive of Certification Europe.

Irish-based Certification Europe has been acquired by Britain's Amtivo Group for an undisclosed sum.

The company, which is headquartered in Dublin, works with international companies to achieve ISO certification and also provides training on quality management, health and safety to energy management and information security. It has offices in Japan, Italy and the UK, and provides more than 10,000 assessments every year for clients.

It will join Amtivo's portfolio of companies which includes the British Assessment Bureau, myActiv and Equas Consulting.

Details of the transaction are being kept confidential, but investor Kernel Capital, which backed the company in 2014 through the Bank of Ireland Seed & Early Stage Equity Fund, said the deal delivered "a significant multiple return" for investors.

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"Kernel Capital have supported us in building a market-leading ISO certification, training and inspection business, resulting in a successful trade sale to the Amtivo Group, " said Michael Brophy, chief executive of Certification Europe.

“From our base in Dublin we will bring to Amtivo access to several core markets, plus genuine leadership, skillset and knowledge in the key area of IT and data security.

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien is an Irish Times business and technology journalist