Markinson announces acquisition by international software group, Constellation Software

Brisbane, Australia: Markinson, a specialist business software provider to small and mid sized businesses (SMBs), today announced its acquisition by international software and services group, Constellation Software.

The deal, for an undisclosed sum, provides Markinson with a strong corporate platform to support growth and expansion into new markets, and provides access to resources and expertise to strengthen its product portfolio and solutions available to local customers.

As part of the acquisition, Markinson will join the Constellation’s Friedman Operating Group, and operate as an independent division within Friedman.

Ian Whiting, chief executive officer of Markinson says while the deal significantly accelerates the company’s growth strategy, on an operational level it will be ‘business as usual’ with the company continuing to trade under its business name, and no management or staff changes.

 “This is an exciting development for both Markinson and its customers. For the last two years, through a series of acquisitions and strong organic growth we have strengthened our position in the local business software solutions market.  Our acquisition by Friedman now provides us with a stronger corporate platform to support our next phase of growth, while at the same time continuing to provide first-class service to our customers,” said Whiting.

Mark Robertson, chairman and founder of Markinson, adds; "After over 25 years of developing a world class business, it is pleasing to see the realisation of the next important stage in the evolution of Markinson.”

Head quartered in the US, Friedman Operating Group specializes in complete ERP solutions for manufacturers and distributors of “make to order” and “engineer to order” products in the building products, capital equipment, and automotive sectors.

Commenting on the buy, Eric Herrmann, chief financial officer said Markinson’s established position in similar specialised markets and complementary product portfolio, provided the perfect fit for the group.

“The Markinson product offering will enable us to grow our presence in the distribution, wholesale and retail management market sectors across specialized industries and further penetrate the Australian and Asia-Pacific regions,” he said.

END

Media contact:

Melissa Shawyer     

T: +61 412 066 048    E: Melissa@prgroup.com.au

About Markinson:

Markinson is a privately owned Australian company that provides business software solutions to wholesale distribution and retail businesses across Australia and New Zealand. For more than 20 years, Markinson has pioneered a wide range of focused solutions which help customers achieve their business goals. The Company services over 350 customers in the region . For further information, please visit our website at www.markinson.com.au or contact us on 1300 137 729          ( Australia ) or 0800 725 375 ( NZ ) .

About Friedman:

Friedman Corporation has headquarters in Deerfield, IL and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Constellation Software, Inc. Friedman Corporation specializes in complete ERP solutions for manufacturers and distributors of “make to order” and “engineer to order” products in the building products, capital equipment, and automotive sectors. The Friedman Operating group also has a complementary portfolio of software offerings for transportation management, material optimization, supply chain management and direct-to-consumer distribution. For further information about Friedman Corporation, please visit their website at www.friedmancorp.com