AWARD winning Malvern mobile messaging specialist TxtLoxal has been bought by global technology company IMImobile.

Named one of the fastest growing technology companies in 2013 by Deloitte and GP Bullhound in 2014, TextLocal, which is based on Malvern Hills Science Park, is the leading communications company helping businesses harness the potential of mobile messaging. With another operation in Chester, TextLocal serves more than 120,000 businesses, including customers such as Debenhams, Paddy Power, Greenpeace, Groupon and P&O Ferries.

Chief executive Alastair Shortland, who founded TxtLocal in 2005, said: "We are very excited to become a part of IMImobile, which is a global leader in providing mobile engagement solutions in more than 60 countries worldwide. We will continue with the development of innovative features and look forward working with IMImobile on our mission to revolutionise the communication structure of SMBs to drive customer engagement.”

IMImobile is planning to introduce TextLocal’s messaging platform to new international markets, industries and clients. The mobile messaging market is forecasted by many analysts as one of the fastest growing segments and the TextLocal platform will form an essential element of IMImobile’s mobile engagement product portfolio to capitalise on this trend.

Jay Patel, chief executive of IMImobile, added: "We are very pleased about the acquisition of TextLocal. The acquisition will allow us to target the small and medium sized business segment that we don’t currently serve and expand our cloud based messaging offering. We look forward to working with the entire team and we will be integrating TextLocal into the Group over the next six months.”

West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin welcomed the deal for what she called "a Malvern business superstar".

Mrs Baldwin added: "This is fabulous news for Alastair and the team and this deal is clearly a great reward for the enormous amount of hard-work put in to develop a successful business. I am told that the company intends to keep its operations running as usual in Malvern and I hope that we will see further expansion here in due course. This deal is yet more evidence of the brilliant brains of Malvern making waves on the global stage. Malvern Hills Science Park is home to an impressive array of fast-growing businesses and it is developing an incubator service to hot-house new start-ups. I hope that the budding entrepreneurs of tomorrow see this news and are encouraged to take the plunge and turn their ideas into business success.”