Yet according to AMR Research it has more enterprise customers than SAP and Oracle combined and is the third largest Enterprise technology vendor in the world. (Around 70,000 customers)
Still a private company, with heavy support from Golden Gate Capital, it has made an astounding number of acquisitions, giving it around $2.1 billion in annual revenues and making it the 10th largest software company in the world.
The list of acquisitions is impressive and shows a level of momentum and vision beyond other notable players in the field.
May 2007 – Purchased Hansen Information Technologiesproviding a launch pad into government and utility sectors with their popular Windows based ERP system. (Rail, public works, government, utilities)
April 2007 – Purchased Workbrain a workforce management solution for around $200 million.
January 2006 – Purchases SSA Global. Giving them access to their large customer base of supply chain companies as well as the Baan product that they had previously acquired. (Yup thats where Baan went)
January 2006 – Purchases Datastream for $10.26 per share in cash. (Yup, Datastream too)
While others are focusing on organic growth and playing the time honoured game of competing on price and functionality, Infor has ridden over the top of all of them securing themselves as the leaders within the field; even though nobody knows who they are.
And they did it, amazingly, by giving the customers what they want. Instead of one kill all package that is infinitely customizable for multiple sectors - Infor have vertical solutions for each sector vertical they participate in.
Neat huh? What do they want? What they are buying already. How do we give them that? Don't change just improve.
Take a look at their website . Unlike Mincom, IBM and the APM Three, there are a string of press releases. A display of momentum and of force that is beyond what most others are doing in the game.
An impressive operation - but one has to wonder how they are going under the stressed economic climate and due to the fact that they must be carrying a lot of debt. Acquisitions don't come too cheap these days, particularly if you buy at or near the top of the curve.
Also, as a side note, SAP has woken up to Infor and is targeting them in press releases. Not good to get under the skin of the biggest guy on the block. But inevitable really if they are going to continue to grow.
When SAP enters your market it becomes polarized. You are either with SAP or against SAP - not with Infor or against them. So this is a very interesting development. Another fascinating play in the field of Asset Management. It is a wonderful time to be watching all of this unfold.
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