Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2002/03/19/sch_saves_metrologie/

SCH saves Metrologie from the knackers

Big in France

By Drew Cullen

Posted in Channel, 19th March 2002 13:14 GMT

Specialist Computer Holdings, Europe's biggest - or is it the second biggest, we can never remember - computer dealership, has snapped up Metrologie France and Metrologie Systems from Europa IT.

Terms were undisclosed, but we don't think it was a lot of money as a: SCH specialises in distress purchases b: Europa IT had already announced its intention to a: close down or sell Metrologie France and b: instruct an investment bank to investigate money raising schemes including selling the entire business.

SCH is taking on 200 employees and will continue to operate Metrologie Systems, now renamed ETC (its distribution brand name) Systems as a separate business. Metrologie France is to be combined with the distribution activities of SCH's existing French business, Allium. Post-acquisition, SCH's French operations will turnover €1bn a year.

Metrologie France is a commodity distribution business, while Metrologie Systems wholesale servers and enterprise storage. Their owner Europa IT, was an management buy-in, formed from the European wreckage that was CHS Electronics, briefly (before its collapse) the world's second biggest computer distie.

Europa IT reckons it is Europe's sixth biggest distie (or did before this fire sale). Last month, the company said that it had too little capital to compete successfully in the French commodity market, but that it was committed to retaining commodity distribution elsewhere, as well as keeping its systems business in the country. ®

EuropaIT exits PC biz in France