A YORK IT service provider is set to count the United Nations, The Student Loans Company and The Scottish Prison Service among its customers following the acquisition of a Glasgow-based firm.

Trustmarque Solutions, based in Monks Cross Drive, has completed the 100 per cent share purchase of Scottish services and consultancy specialist Opin Systems.

The deal marks the first take over for Trustmarque since it was acquired in a £43 million management buyout, backed by Dunedin.

Trustmarque employs 190 people at sites in York, London and Edinburgh, and provides technology services and solutions to private and public sector organisations across the UK.

Customers include RBS, Lloyds Banking Group, Sainsbury’s and Capita, with public sector clients including the NHS, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Justice, National Services Scotland and NHS Wales.

Trustmarque chief executive Scott Haddow said: “We are delighted to welcome Opin as a part of the Trustmarque team. We have first-hand experience of working with Opin and were in no doubt that there is a big opportunity here.

“Opin have a superb reputation in Scotland, but they have long-term customers throughout the UK.

“I know that with Trustmarque’s scale, capabilities and resources, they can build on their successes so far. The combined business will be good news for both sets of customers.”

Opin has been in independent operation since its foundation in 1990, providing strategic IT consultancy services to major organisations including the United Nations, The Department for International Development, The Student Loans Company and The Scottish Prison Service.

Opin founder and managing director Graham Curran who, with his team, joins Trustmarque to lead the Opin division said: “I have worked with my team for more than twenty years, building a strong reputation, delivering key technology projects into some major customers.

“Working as a partner with Trustmarque I realised that they were the right organisation to deliver further value to Opin’s customers, while giving the Opin team an opportunity to bring our skills and expertise into Trustmarque’s offering. It’s a great fit.”