Hudson IT Firm Purchased By SBS New England
SBS New England, a division of national IT consulting firm SBS Group, has purchased Grace Hunt, a 20-person IT firm in Hudson.
SBS Group, through a nationwide network of business partners, provides business solutions support to small and mid-size companies. that use Microsoft Dynamics products to run a variety business functions, including supply chain management, accounting and financial management, inventory and warehouse management, among others.
SBS is one of the leading providers of support services for businesses that use Microsoft Dynamics.
Last year, the company set up SBS New England in Marlborough. It provides business support services throughout the region.
Earlier this month, SBS New England expanded by adding the 20 IT professionals who work for Grace Hunt in Hudson.
Growth Through Acquisition
James Bowman, CEO of SBS Group, which is headquartered in New Jersey, said the acquisition is part of the company's overall strategy of adding IT professionals.
"Grace Hunt is a good size acquisition that adds a significant number of clients to our family and really puts SBS in a good position to be the predominant solutions provider in New England for Microsoft Dynamics users," Bowman said.
Bowman would not discuss financial terms of the transaction. He did say that with the acquisition, the company was able to create some efficiencies in administrative and marketing functions, meaning some Grace Hunt employees were cut during the transaction.
According to the firm's web site, Kevin Comerford founded Grace Hunt in 1984 and is now general manager of the company. Kenneth Rapoport, SBS New England's president, is listed as president of Grace Hunt.
The acquisition is just one of dozens SBS has executed this year and Bowman said the company is not done yet. He expects additional acquisitions this year with up to a dozen more next year.
When SBS acquires a firm like Grace Hunt, Bowman said, it provides benefits to both companies. SBS gains an increased market penetration with already-established customers in an area, while companies like Grace Hunt are able to benefit from the nationwide network of SBS professionals, subject-matter experts and administrative functions.
"This is very much of a symbiotic relationship," Bowman said about the acquisitions. "Collectively, it allows SBS group to offer a wider variety of services with greater expertise, which allows our clients' business to drive forward."
As for SBS's overall business, Bowman said it's strong, with 2011 a growth year, he said. Microsoft products continue to have strong market share for business applications, even if competitors such as Apple are dominating the consumer market.
"There's a real divide between the customer and business markets," he said. "On the business side, Microsoft continues to be strong on the business application and infrastructure side."
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