A HAMPSHIRE energy supplier has confirmed the acquisition of a British call centre specialist.

Utilita Energy, in Eastleigh, has purchased Chesterfield-based call centre specialist bvocal.

The 325 bvocal staff will all become part of the Utilita group.

Director of sales and marketing at Utilita, Steve Parker said: “Bvocal has played an integral role in the growth of Utilita and has proved to be a highly successful sales channel. It made perfect sense to bring bvocal into Utilita in a move that will be mutually beneficial.”

Paul Stubbs, managing director at bvocal said: “This is a fantastic business opportunity for both companies.

“Utilita has been bvocal’s only client for the past two years – this deal is great for our brilliant staff.”

Utilita is Britain’s fastest growing independent energy supplier, with the changes coming into effect immediately and meaning the supplier has more than 1,000 staff.

It created more than 200 new jobs in the autumn when it moved from Winchester to larger premises at Chandler’s Ford.

It has been a meteoric rise for Utilita which now has more than 400,000 customers.

The company, founded in 2003, made losses for many years but a switch to pre-paid smart meters brought a sharp upturn in Utilita’s fortunes.

To coincide with the move to Chandler’s Ford, Utilita became the main sponsor for Eastleigh FC, nicknamed the Spitfires, who play in the Vanarama National League.