Parity Plc, the former Comac Group Plc, yesterday expanded into training with the acquisition of Class Ltd, a computer training and consultancy company. It is to form the nucleus of a third leg, Parity Training for the Farnborough, Hampshire-based company. The other two are Parity Consulting – the business bought from Admiral Plc the other day, and CSS Trident, which claims to be the largest supplier of contract computer consultants to UK government and industry. Parity is paying UKP500,000 for Class, UKP265,000 of it in cash, UKP157,000 in loan notes the balance made up with 65,000 new Parity shares. Class was formed in 1988 and in the year to June did UKP90,000 pre-tax on UKP732,000 turnover. Net assets, surprisingly high for a people business – were UKP189,000. Class is an accredited training supplier and examiner in project management with Prince and SSADM Structured Systems & Design Methodology, in which Parity Consulting is also skilled.
