AMATO DISTRIBUTION: Amato sets sights on growth.

Since its merger with Unique in May, the respected dance distribution specialist has targeted expansion, with increasing activity in areas such as DVDs, digital and artist albums

In the turbulent world of independent distribution, ambitious expansion is not for the faint-hearted. But where that expansion involves the merging of perhaps the two most dependable names in specialist dance distribution, the odds in favour of success must be better than average.

At the beginning of this year, Bolton-based dance vinyl specialist Unique made an audacious move for its larger rival Amato. Roughly one- third of Amato's size, Unique had a reputation of its own in the vinyl world but was looking to find growth through a reverse acquisition. Mario Forsyth, who founded Amato from his car boot 16 years ago, thought long and hard and then accepted.

"This wasn't the first approach I had had but, for various reasons, the other deals never went through," says Forsyth. "Was this something I was planning at this particular time? No, it wasn't. But I liked what the guys at Unique had to say; I liked their vision."

Amato has made inroads into non-dance product in recent years, and both Forsyth and the new owners - Alan Smith, Lyndon Forshaw and brothers James and John Waddicker - believe it is areas such as compilations, digital, DVD and artist albums which hold the key to Amato's future growth.

"It is an interesting and opportunistic time …