Atlas Cloud acquires London-based Challow to create ‘best kept secret’

Newcastle IT services company Atlas Cloud Limited has expanded its operations by acquiring London-based firm Challow Design Network Services Limited.

The APSCo Trusted Partner, based in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, aims to increase its geographical footprint, deepen its offering in the professional services sector and increase its capacity to service larger clients. Read the full press release below:

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21st July 2025, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Newcastle IT services company Atlas Cloud Limited has expanded its operations by acquiring London-based firm Challow Design Network Services Limited. 

The APSCo Trusted Partner, based in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, aims to increase its geographical footprint, deepen its offering in the professional services sector and increase its capacity to service larger clients.  

Challow, based near King’s Cross in London, is a niche IT services provider that maintains a unique IT solution designed for professional services firms. The fully managed, compliance-first solution aligns firms with the UK Government’s Cyber Essentials scheme – whether operating with employees or third-party contractors.  

The combined company will leverage Atlas Cloud’s operational engine to widen the availability of Challow’s all-in-one solution, while also merging Atlas Cloud’s cyber security division to incorporate Cyber Essentials accreditations and services like penetration testing under one roof. 

Pete Watson, CEO of Atlas Cloud, outlines the strategy behind the decision: 

“We’re delighted to welcome the Challow team to Atlas Cloud, it’s an ideal match. 

“Challow have spent years perfecting a totally unique solution, choosing to refine with their current customer base over pursuing growth. Atlas Cloud has in recent years placed a huge emphasis on developing an operational blueprint that delivers a great service in a scalable way. It’s given us greater capacity, allowed us to tighten SLAs and our customer feedback scores are now consistently world-class.  

“Together, we make the industry’s best-kept secret – eager to disrupt the professional services sector.” 

Challow director, Andy Fryer – who has become Operations Director across the new group – adds: 

“From day one of meeting Pete and the team, this has felt like the right thing to do. Now is the right time to combine Challow’s compliance capabilities with Atlas Cloud’s security capabilities and take it to a wider market.” 

The acquisition comes two years into a five-year strategy for Atlas Cloud. The business will continue to invest in both Newcastle and London locations, with the north becoming a hub for service and cyber security operations and the south focusing on technology operations.  

The next key element of the overall strategy is to ramp up its innovations team, designed to help firms unlock the potential of Generative AI and make savings on billable hours.  

Pete Watson expands on his plans for the future: 

“We’ve invested heavily in perfecting our operational blueprint. Now we’re full steam ahead on innovation – the next technological wave will come from the combination of AI and automation; we plan to be ahead of the curve.  

“We’re already holding innovation roundtables with customers and building out proof of concepts, our next investment will help us dedicate more time to driving the sector forward.” 

- ENDS - 

Issued on behalf of Atlas Cloud by Ben Tomlinson. For more information, please call 0191 260 0284 or email ben.tomlinson@atlascloud.co.uk. 

About Atlas Cloud:  

Atlas Cloud is a managed IT services and cyber security services provider, based in Newcastle upon Tyne. Its reassuringly secure approach brings an uncompromising security-first approach to customers to help them better manage and reduce their risks. 

About Challow: 

While in essence Challow is a managed IT services provider, the company has long thought of itself as a compliance company that uses IT to help firms with stringent requirements overcome increasing technological challenges with a fully managed solution.