“There was significant interest from multiple parties interested in Shipton Communications and its assets. We are delighted to have secured such a positive outcome, resulting in a seamless transition for clients and customers,” said Anthony Spicer, director of Restructuring and Recovery Services at Smith & Williamson.
“The Shipton name is renowned within the industry for first class customer service and engineering excellence. The firm’s heritage as an industry innovator and its existing products align well with Nine Telecom and our future development plans. We will continue to deliver the high level of service Shipton’s customers have come to expect and we believe the combination of these two businesses will create exciting opportunities” said James Palmer, Managing Director, of Nine Telecom Group.
“The Nine Telecom Group is one of the UK’s largest Telecom Service Providers and we are proud to have been chosen by Smith & Williamson to take the Shipton name forward,” James continued.
Based in Hemel Hempsted and providing UK businesses with expert advice and engineering services since 1890, Shipton Communications is the second oldest telecommunications company in the United Kingdom. Only BT has been in operation longer. The company takes its name from its founder Edward Shipton. Mr. Shipton started business from premises in Dartmouth Street, London S.W.1., by laying telephone lines, but was soon to purchase telephones and then to install systems – just as Shipton Communications does today. At one point Shipton Communications was the largest employer in Hertfordshire.
Research was always Mr. Shiptons first passion, and in 1929 Shipton introduced the desk internal telephone called the ‘Shipton Inter-Dial’. A breakthrough in design enabling callers to dial extension numbers themselves – it seems so common place today but it all started here. By the 1930’s Shipton had built up a reputation and had started to employ staff, and the company grew. In the pre war years, Shipton’s were supplying and installing a variety of systems on both sale or rental agreements.