Channel M&A: Sirius Computer Solutions Acquires Continuum Worldwide For Security, Splunk Capabilities

Sirius Computer Solutions this week said it had acquired a fellow solution provider, Continuum Worldwide, as a way to expand its security and Splunk capabilities to meet rapidly growing demands of customers.

The acquisition, coming less than a year after Sirius acquired another security-focused solution provider, Force 3, was a natural move to make given that the company had partnered several times with Continuum on security-related projects, said Joe Mertens, president and CEO of San Antonio, Texas-based Sirius.

Omaha, Neb.-based Continuum was founded in 2006 after being spun out of Mutual of Omaha, the insurance giant. Continuum brings to Sirius, which was number 27 on the CRN Solution Provider 500 list, a large Midwest presence, Mertens told CRN.

[Related: Sirius to Buy $260 Million Federal Network Security Powerhouse Force 3]

"We have used them as a security subcontractor," he said. "Our two teams have worked together several times. But Continuum was at the point where it needed to make a decision about how to invest for the future, whether to partner or get acquired. And they decided to become part of Sirius."

Continuum brings two critical capabilities and very fast-growing practices to Sirius, Mertens said.

The first is security, which will help Sirius expand beyond its April, 2016 acquisition of Force 3. Force 3 brought strong security and Cisco practices to Sirius, as well as some clearances to help grow Sirius' government business Mertens said.

The addition of Continuum will help expand that security business. "Continuum helps expand our resources quickly," he said. "The amount of security business we are getting is growing fast. We're seeing high demand from our clients.

The second is expertise in the machine intelligence capabilities of San Francisco-based Splunk. Mertens said Continuum was a large channel partner of Splunk, and was on Splunk's national advisory board. "We also do integration of Splunk," he said. "But it's hard to find the right talent."

Sirius' acquisition of Continuum closed on January 1. Mertens declined to discuss any financial information related to the acquisition, including terms of the deal and the company's revenue and headcount. However, he said, Continuum had a sizeable business that was profitable and very skilled.

The three principles at Continuum have already signed on to stay with Sirius, Mertens said. Sirius will combine its Omaha, Neb. office with that of Continuum over time, he said. Privately-held Sirius Computer Solutions has about 1,900 employees and over 5,000 active clients across the United States, with gross revenues over the last 12 months of about $2 billion.