SEATTLE, WA and ST. GALLEN, SWITZERLAND--(Marketwired - Apr 28, 2015) - Avanade, a global business technology solutions, cloud and managed services provider, today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire KCS.net and its subsidiaries (including Infoman AG), headquartered in St. Gallen, Switzerland. With approximately 300 employees, KCS.net is one of the largest Microsoft Dynamics AX/ERP partners in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and a leading Microsoft Dynamics CRM partner.
The acquisition will further enhance Avanade's Microsoft Dynamics capabilities, which include enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM) and data and analytics. Clients looking to increase business productivity, improve customer insight and relationships, and drive growth will benefit from the strengthened services, technology skills, industry expertise and delivery experience of the most specialized Microsoft Dynamics professionals in the region.
Robert Goegele, Avanade general manager for the region, which includes Germany, Switzerland and Austria, said, "With KCS.net as part of the Avanade family, our clients will have access to a significantly increased on-shore expertise and track record in the areas of Dynamics AX and CRM. In addition, the .NET and Collaboration capabilities of KCS.net strengthen our practice in Avanade. When we combine this with our existing solutions and our near and offshore capabilities, we are uniquely positioned to help our clients realize even better business results."
Kay Laukat, CEO at KCS.net, said, "We are looking forward to being part of the strong and future-oriented team of Avanade. This will be the next step toward expanding our service and product portfolio for clients. As part of Avanade we will be able to offer new opportunities and perspectives to our employees and together we'll strengthen our excellent market position in the region." KCS.net has been a Microsoft Gold Certified partner since 2004 and now holds the Microsoft Gold Certification for Enterprise Resource Planning, Content & Collaboration and Customer Relationship Management. It is also a member of the Inner Circle and President's Club of Microsoft Dynamics.
The financial terms of the transaction are not being disclosed. This acquisition is subject to closing conditions, and regulatory approvals.
About Avanade
Avanade helps clients realize results in a digital world through business technology solutions, cloud and managed services that combine insight, innovation and expertise focused on Microsoft technologies. Our people have helped organizations in all industries improve business agility, employee productivity and customer loyalty. Avanade combines business, technical and industry expertise with the rigor of an industrialized delivery model to provide and deploy high quality solutions -- on premises, cloud-based or outsourced. Avanade, which is majority owned by Accenture, was founded in 2000 by Accenture LLP and Microsoft Corporation and has 25,000 professionals in more than 22 countries. Additional information can be found at www.avanade.com.
Avanade and the Avanade logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Avanade Inc. Other product, service, or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
About KCS.net
KCS.net was founded in 1989 and is today with approximately 300 employees at 16 locations a leading Microsoft Dynamics AX/ERP, Microsoft Dynamics CRM and SharePoint partner in Germany, Switzerland and Austria with Microsoft Gold certifications for ERP, CRM and Collaboration & Content. The highly qualified and certified KCS.net teams implement tailor-made, user friendly and international deployable business software solutions at discrete and process manufacturers as well as service and wholesale companies. Combining the best Microsoft technologies and the extensive industry expertise of all employees, KCS.net covers the most important pillars of business IT solutions and can therefore address the complex business requirements of their customers. For more information about KCS.net, please visit www.kcs.net
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied.
These include, without limitation, risks that: Avanade and KCS.net will not be able to close the transaction in the time period anticipated, or at all, which is dependent on the parties' ability to satisfy certain closing conditions; the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Avanade; Avanade's business could be negatively affected if the company cannot expand and develop its services and solutions in response to changes in technology and client demand; the management consulting, systems integration and technology markets are highly competitive and Avanade might not be able to compete effectively; Avanade's business could be negatively affected by economic and political conditions and the effects of these conditions on its clients' business and levels of business activity; Avanade's work with government clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting process; clients may not be satisfied with Avanade's services; Avanade could have liability or its reputation could be damaged if it does not protect client data or information systems or if its information systems are breached; Avanade's business could be negatively affected by legal liability that results from providing its solutions or services; Avanade's results could be adversely affected if its clients terminate their contracts with the company; liabilities could arise if subcontractors or other third parties with whom the company partners cannot deliver their project contributions on time or at all; Avanade's results of operations may be adversely affected by the rate of growth in the use of technology in business and the type and level of technology spending by its clients; Avanade's profitability may suffer if it is not able to maintain favorable pricing rates and utilization rates or if the company cannot control costs; Avanade's global operations are subject to complex risks, some of which might be beyond its control; Avanade's business may be adversely affected if it is unable to keep its supply of skills, including those personnel currently employed by KCS.net, and resources in balance with client demand; Avanade may be unable to achieve its business objectives if the company cannot manage the organizational challenges associated with the scope of its operations; Avanade has only a limited ability to protect its intellectual property rights, and its services or solutions could infringe on the rights of others or it could lose its ability to use the intellectual property of others; Avanade's ability to attract or retain business may depend on the company's reputation in the marketplace; loss of the company's significant corporate relationships with Accenture and Microsoft could reduce its revenue and growth prospects; Avanade has a limited ability to set its own independent strategies, and its business strategy and direction may be dictated by Accenture's overall business strategy; Avanade relies on Accenture for the majority of its revenue, and the loss of that revenue would have a significant adverse impact on Avanade's results of operations and may affect its ability to continue to operate; Avanade's global delivery network relies on Accenture, and the loss of that network would increase Avanade's operating expenses; Microsoft has certain minority rights, and may exercise those rights to protect its own interests, which may not align with Avanade's; and Avanade is committed to using Microsoft-related technologies, and the company's inability to use those technologies would adversely impact its results of operations.
Statements in this press release speak only as of the date they were made, and Avanade undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in Avanade's expectations.