iTouch buys up Holliday

Mobile data provider iTouch has bought the Holliday group, a software house specialising in palm-top computer applications.

Christchurch-based Holliday has 25 staff and has developed more than 40 industry software applications, including freight management, sales, and dispatch control programs.

iTouch, 71 per cent owned by Independent News & Media, parent company of Herald owner Wilson & Horton, specialises in providing data services for mobile phones.

It paid £714,000 ($2.3 million) and issued an equal value of iTouch shares to Holliday as part of the deal.

Holliday's managing director, Phil Holliday, said the acquisition would provide iTouch with wide experience in mobile office applications and network technologies.