ECONOMICS

Agilisys Inc., the leading supplier of enterprise software solutions to select manufacturing and wholesale distribution verticals, is pleased to announce that it has acquired Varial Software AG. Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, Varial is a leading international provider of financial, controlling, and human resources software. The acquisition will enable Agilisys to integrate a proven financials and HR solution suite with its product portfolio while enabling Varial and its existing network of partners and customers to benefit from the global infrastructure that Agilisys can provide. "Varial offers world-class financial and HR solutions with global capabilities that can be integrated seamlessly across Agilisys' platforms and customer geographies," said Jim Schaper, Chairman and CEO of Agilisys. "The addition of a proven product set capable of serving companies of all sizes from a wide variety of industries will be a significant benefit to our customers and provide a competitive advantage for Agilisys. We look forward to working with Varial's experienced management team, dedicated group of employees and strong partner network." Varial markets its solutions through a network of value-added resellers who serve different geographies, industries, and company sizes, enabling them to provide a mature product with broad functionality. The company will operate as a separate business unit of Agilisys and continue to develop and strengthen its existing relationships with resellers and customers outside of the Agilisys Discrete, Process and Wholesale Distribution Business Units. "This acquisition will allow Varial to benefit from the global infrastructure and resources that Agilisys provides, while enabling us to continue supporting our existing relationships with resellers and customers," said Friedel Schwardtmann, CEO of Varial. "We welcome the opportunity to become part of a world-class organization like Agilisys and look forward to the opportunities ahead." Varial is currently serving customers in 10 countries and has over 30,000 users in the manufacturing, wholesale distribution, and public administration industries. Their software supports all common platforms and databases.