UK team building and events companies Mind Adrenaline and WS Teams have merged to form company Reaction in a bid to “become a new force in the events world”. The move will strengthen its offering to clients which include J.P. Morgan, BSkyB, National Grid, Yum! brands, Mars, Anglo American, DHL and Belron.

Leading the company are directors Simon Payne, Ralph King and Paul Moynihan, who have a combined 18 years’ experience in providing team building, workshops and corporate events to major organisations. No job losses resulted from the merger.

The merger comes because of both companies’ desire to expand, not because of a more competitive market place, according to Moynihan, Reaction’s director of sales and marketing. “WS has been in business for four years, so we’ve always worked amid a recession. I cannot say if it is tougher right now in the team building world, but what I do know is that our clients are increasingly budget-conscious.”

In the last year, the companies have either singularly or together organised graduate development events for American Express, a 600-delegate event for BSkyB, two Olympic-themed team building events for the Automobile Association, another Olympic-themed family fun day for EDF Energy, future leaders’ training and development events for ERIKS, a high-end treasure hunt for 25 senior staff at J.P. Morgan and a conference treasure hunt around Barcelona, among others.

Upcoming projects include on-going board of directors’ events at ERIKS, a series of conference workshops for 160 delegates over three days that will focus on problem solving and time management for an undisclosed client and, currently in discussion, proposed team building events for clients of Thorpe Park.

Moynihan added: “Both companies were looking to expand. At Mind (based in Paddock Wood, Kent), Simon did everything, but the two companies have been working together since January. Reaction, with the combined strength and pedigree of two leading companies and two major brands – Mind Adrenaline Learning & Development and the Mind Adrenaline Academy for Schools and Colleges – will set new standards and provide a quality, end-to-end event service.” Moynihan added that Reaction will keep on the former companies’ offices in Kent and Reading but also meet regularly in new offices in Covent Garden.