Merseyside business telecoms provider Elite Telecom has acquired a Dorset-based firm in a deal that could add an estimated £8.5m to its revenues in the next five years.

St Helens-based Elite provides business telecoms services to a range of clients including Air France/KLM, Intercontinental Hotels Group and a number of Premier League football clubs.

It has acquired CAN Networks which supplies voice and data network services to an extensive client base including councils, schools and police forces, including Devon County Council, for £1.2m.

CAN Networks’ founders and senior management team will be joined by Elite’s Matt Newing, Nick Mannion and Adam Turton.

Matt Newing, chief executive of Elite, said: “We have big aspirations for where we want to see Elite both in the short and medium term and this purchase will help us to realise that growth.

“The telecoms market has seen extensive consolidation and we have successfully developed the business to a position where we are now the buyers in the market.”

Elite has been recognised as one of the UK’s most rapidly expanding companies following its 5th place ranking in 2009’s LDC Hot 100 fastest growing firms list.

It was also named the O2 Small Business of the Year at the Daily Post Regional Business Awards in June.

Gareth McIntegart of lawyers DWF and Paul Billingham of Knight CF advised on the deal.