European managed service provider Claranet has purchased UK managed technology services company star for £55m, creating the largest mid-market provider of integrated hosting and network services in Europe.

Claranet Group founder and CEO Charles Nasser said it said it will maintain the separate trading entities, combining experience of both group’s to broaden the services portfolio but will operate under the Claranet brand.

It will have revenues of more than £120m, 700 staff and 4,500 customers, including Airbus, IRIS, De Vere Hotels and Amnesty International.

“From a market and customer perspective, this is a great opportunity to bring together the experience and resources of two great companies to deliver a broader service portfolio to benefit our customers,” Nasser said.

“This announcement confirms our ambition to become the clear European leader in the delivery of managed services.”

Both companies were founded in the UK, Star Technologies Services Limited as part of STH Limited. Claranet’s access to star comes through the purchase of STH.

In October this year, Claranet opened a new Infrastructure-as-a-Service network in Holland as part of its virtual Data Centre offering. The company was also announced as one of the UK Government’s preferred suppliers in its Cloudstore – its portal for web-based services.

Star’s strength lies in unified communications, and the company offers advanced security services and remote desktop services. It also offers cloud services for medium-sized businesses.

Claranet UK MD Michel Robert said the two companies have strategic alignment that will benefit customers.

“Star is a leader in providing managed services in the UK and therefore a natural fit for Claranet,” Robert said.

Claranet was founded in 1996 as an Internet Service provider and has since evolved to become a managed services provider with annual revenue of £70m.