Adquisición tecnológica
BNAméricas
27 de febrero de 2008

Advanced aims for 35% growth after Softmind acquisition - Argentina)

Argentine IT consultancy firm Advanced Software expects sales to grow 30-35% this year from 4.2mn pesos (US$1.33mn) in 2007, after the acquisition of fellow SAP specialist Softmind, Advanced Software commercial director Fabián Ares told BNamericas.

According to the executive, organic growth was initially estimated at 15-20% for this year.
With the acquisition of Softmind the company is now able to complement its offering of IT consultancy and software development over Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) and Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) with SAP (NYSE: SAP), Ares said.

"This is important because [SAP] is a segment that is growing considerably and will continue growing over the next 10 years," Ares said, adding that the acquisition allows them to add more services for the current installed base while also increasing clients.

With operations since 1995, Advanced Software has a strong expertise in the oil, pharmaceutical and banking industries. The company also works with communications media and the agricultural segments, offering IT consultancy, software development and human resource outsourcing.
Late last year, Spanish IT consultancy firm BlueIT acquired 50% of Advanced Software, a move that is helping the firm to further expand within Argentina and in Latin America.

In fact, Advanced Software is currently analyzing acquiring a company in the area of networking and infrastructure. In addition, the company is creating a software factory to provide services to BlueIT clients in Europe and develop more projects in Latin America.

According to Ares, the company has already developed projects in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Chile, and is eyeing opportunities to open an office in Peru, which is where Ares considers it easier to enter the market and sign projects and clients.