Neckarsulm/Vienna, 17 January 2014 – Bechtle AG has acquired Planet! Software-Vertrieb & Consulting GmbH (planetsoftware), a CAD specialist headquartered in Vienna with three additional locations in Graz, Innsbruck and Wels, Austria. The company, which counts 36 employees, earned 7.1 million euros in revenue during the last financial year. The acquisition reinforces Bechtle’s market presence in Austria and at the same time expands the product portfolio of Bechtle’s local IT system houses. As the largest SolidWorks partner in Austria, planetsoftware has attained the highest degree of certification with the software manufacturer.
Through this acquisition, Bechtle is able to pool competency and experience in the area of software solutions and licences while benefiting from an extensive corporate sales network. “With planetsoftware, our market position as a significant provider of complete IT solutions now also extends to Austria. Our customers benefit from an attractive portfolio that includes not only all aspects of IT infrastructure and managed services, but also software and application solutions—the entire IT spectrum available from a single source. This gives us a clear competitive advantage and reinforces our goal of further expanding our leading role in Germany, Austria and Switzerland,” comments Michael Guschlbauer, COO of the IT System House and Managed Services segment of Bechtle AG.
Oswald Fessler, co-founder and managing director of planetsoftware, ex-plains, “Bechtle is a solid international group that has invested heavily in 3D CAD in the last few years. We consider them to be the ideal partner for our continued success. Together, Bechtle and planetsoftware represent the strongest provider of SolidWorks solutions in German-speaking Europe, enabling us to meet the needs of large international customers. Moreover, our decision to join Bechtle means stability and increased security for long-term planning for customers and employees alike.
The acquisition is subject to the approval of the relevant competition authorities. As usual, the purchase price and conditions remain confidential.