Completed on 13 January, the deal makes Pro-Active a wholly owned subsidiary of Orbital10, with the marketing firm’s leadership structure preserved, and all employees – around 15 – kept on.
“It’s the biggest deal we’ve done to date, and it took a long time – so we’re happy to finally get the deal closed and have the guys on board. So far, so good,” said Orbital10 CEO, Mark Salvin.
Pro-Active is the Orbital10 group’s first foray into print – though it has at various points sold printers and ink.
“We felt that the digital print, data and AI applications fit in very well with our IT managed services and website division,” Salvin told Printweek.
“We wouldn’t have bought the company if we didn’t see a future in physical marketing collateral. We think it’s going to complement the digital marketing services that we offer – there’s quite a big overlap with the IT services we do, with data cleaning, web-hosting and IT automation. We see it as a more all-encompassing service, and it fitted as an extension of the portfolio.”
Scott Kean, Orbital10's managing director, added: "Businesses today need more than just reliable IT – they need intelligent, data-driven solutions that enhance both operations and customer engagement. This acquisition enables us to provide an all-in-one service, combining technology, security, and marketing expertise to drive business success."
Salvin added that the group was established as a “buy-and-build”, with Pro-Active being the sixth acquisition in four years.
Salvin added: “We’re keeping the branding for quite some time, because it’s a very well-known and respected brand.
“We try to acquire two companies a year – that’s our target.”
Pro-Active prints and mails a range of marketing collateral on a fleet of Ricoh machines, including Pro C9100, Pro C751, and Pro 8210 mono presses, and a brand-new Fujifilm Revoria EC1100, which arrived in February 2025.
“We were one of the first installs in the UK for Ricoh, probably 15 years ago now – but we were looking for something different and Fujifilm actually suited us very well; the machine’s been very successful over the last four weeks,” Jason Boxall, co-founder and director of Pro-Active told Printweek.
He said the acquisition was a “great alignment with a tech business” for the brand.
“We’re looking forward to being part of the Orbital10 group, and obviously the opportunities that’s going to bring for the business and all the people here in the future.”
John Noble, Boxall's co-founder and fellow director, added: "Orbital10 and Pro-Active share a commitment to empowering businesses through technology.
"By bringing IT and marketing together, we’re providing a seamless solution that strengthens IT infrastructure while driving customer acquisition and engagement. This is the future of business technology, and we’re proud to lead the way."
