Wolters Kluwer nv announced that it has completed the acquisition of the Italian software company Artel Software House, SpA. Artel, based in Bassano di Grappa, has annual sales (2001) of approximately EUR 3 million and provides workflow tools for fiscal and financial consultants as well as accounting software for small and medium-sized companies, and professional services firms. Artel is the only application service provider (the optimum online service) in this field and has obtained several industry certifications for its processes and products. The acquisition of Artel provides Wolters Kluwer with an entry into the market of small- and medium sized enterprises in fiscal/financial and strengthens Wolters Kluwer's leading position in Italy as the provider of 'must have' information and software tools to professional users in tax, legal, and HR areas.
Artel Software House employs approximately 45 people and is a leading software provider in the fiscal professional market (general ledger, tax compliance and financial software), and for small and medium-sized companies. Artel will be integrated with the other Italian software businesses of Wolters Kluwer to combine activities like software development, marketing & sales and back office.
'The acquisition of Artel is fully in line with our strategy for Legal, Tax & Business Europe to focus on core customer segments such as fiscal/financial', says Jean-Marc M. Detailleur, member of the Executive Board of Wolters Kluwer and responsible for Legal, Tax & Business Europe. 'This addition to our product portfolio strengthens our number one position in the Italian market and will permit us to make a quantum leap in the field of tax workflow software tools. Artel Software House will offer our customers integrated information solutions, providing them with the ability to fulfill all their information needs at one source.'
Artel Software House is the fourth software related acquisition of Wolters Kluwer in Italy in the past two years. In 2000, Wolters Kluwer acquired OA Sistemi (workflow software tools for legal professionals) and Pragma (tax and financial software for small and medium-sized companies). Last year Wolters Kluwer bought OSRA (a leading provider of tax compliance and payroll software).
Note for the editor: Wolters Kluwer is a multinational information services company with annual sales of approximately EUR 3.7 billion, employing approximately 19,000 people in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. The company's core activities are Legal, Tax & Business, International Health & Science, and Education. The Wolters Kluwer shares are quoted on the Euronext Amsterdam. The financial results for the year 2001 will be announced on March 19, 2002.