Bechtle intends to acquire Inmac Wstore

Inmac Wstore would put Bechtle among the top 5 French IT companies
Largest acquisition in the company’s history

Neckarsulm, 11. July 2018 - Bechtle AG announces its intention to acquire the French IT provider Inmac Wstore S.A.S. An agreement to this effect was signed today. Before the share purchase agreement can be ultimately signed, French law stipulates consultation of the Inmac Wstore employees’ workers council. The acquisition is also subject to customary French regulatory approvals. The sale to Bechtle, if completed, would be the biggest acquisition in Bechtle’s history. In 2017, Inmac Wstore recorded sales of around €420m while employing more than 400 people. The company has been a part of the American Systemax Group since 2009 and was formed after the merger of Inmac, founded in 1984, and Misco, founded in 1991. The company sells IT products on the French market under the names Inmac Wstore and Misco. The sale to Bechtle would mean that Systemax would withdraw completely from the IT market.

“As a European company, we would gain further market share with Inmac Wstore as well as a leading position in another important market”, says Dr Thomas Olemotz, CEO, Bechtle AG. “This acquisition would be a significant step towards achieving our Vision 2020, which not only provides for a revenue of 5 billion euros and 10,000 employees, but also positions Bechtle as the number 1 in European IT e-commerce.”

Strengthened market position in Europe

The acquisition of Inmac Wstore would push Bechtle into the top 5 French IT companies. Bechtle has been active in the French market with the brands Bechtle direct, Bechtle Comsoft and ARP since 2000. France is the third largest IT market in Europe after the United Kingdom and Germany. “Inmac Wstore is our first choice to help to further strengthen our business in Europe. It’s a well-led company with an excellent reputation in its industry. It’s remarkable how alike our corporate cultures are, which is another important aspect enabling us to quickly make the most of our synergies”, says Jürgen Schäfer, COO E-Commerce Bechtle AG.

Identical business model

As with Bechtle's e-commerce division, Inmac Wstore uses the combined distribution channels of online shops and consultation by qualified sales staff. Customers of both companies include both enterprises and the public sector. Bechtle would complement Inmac Wstore’s product range, particularly in the areas of software (Bechtle Comsoft) and cloud computing (Bechtle Cloud Platform) as well as in the support of international customers (Bechtle International Business Unit and Global IT Alliance). The acquisition would create considerable synergies, in particular through the combination of strong logistics and higher purchasing volumes.

Continuity in leadership, structure and locations

Jacques Théfo, Président of Inmac Wstore: “By joining the Bechtle Group, we see an excellent opportunity for our company to serve our customers in the long term as a strong IT partner with an expanded portfolio. I am particularly pleased that our employees will benefit from the stability and security of a large employer—with a corporate and management culture that suits us very well.” As is usual with Bechtle acquisitions, Inmac Wstore would continue to operate in its existing structure under the established management team. The company’s headquarters in Roissy-en-France, near Paris, plus offices in Plessis and Angoulême would also be taken over, which would add to Bechtle Group’s current locations in Molsheim, near Strasbourg (Bechtle direct), Paris, Sophia Antipolis, Nantes, Lille and Lyon (Bechtle Comsoft) and Antony near Paris (ARP).