abas Expands DACH Coverage With Second German Reseller Acquisition

abas Further Grows Its Customer Base in DACH While Strengthening Its Ability to Support International System Rollouts.

Karlsruhe, Germany, January 12, 2022—abas Software GmbH (abas), a leading provider of ERP software to German midmarket manufacturing companies, today announced two significant M&A milestones achieved in the fourth quarter of 2021—including the acquisition of abas system GmbH, a value-added reseller of abas ERP serving northern and central Germany, and the creation of Forterro Bulgaria Ltd., which will function as a regional service center for abas ERP customers with operations in Eastern Europe.

abas attained 100 percent ownership of abas system GmbH in a transaction that closed in December. Headquartered in Berlin and supported by a secondary location in Steinhagen, abas system GmbH operates as an exclusive value-added reseller for abas ERP. With the acquisition, abas further expands its presence in northern and central Germany and gains nearly 40 product experts, as well as a loyal customer base of more than 100 manufacturing companies.

“Today’s news is a continuation of the story we began with our acquisition of abas Systemhaus GmbH (Reinbek) in October,” said Richard Furby, general manager of abas. “Integrating the talent and knowledge of key strategic partners like abas system GmbH (Berlin) into our direct business is how we take greater control of the quality of our solutions and greater ownership of the success of our customers.”

Emmanuel Moritz, vice president of M&A integration for Forterro, will step in immediately as interim general manager of abas system GmbH and lead its operational integration into the global abas business. General Manager Uwe Lange, responsible for the commercial aspects of abas system GmbH, will remain with the business throughout a defined transition period. General Manager Klaus Müller, responsible for the product and technical aspects of abas system GmbH, will continue working for abas in a role that will best leverage the expertise he’s built over decades of end customer implementations.

“We’ve been a collaborative member of the abas ecosystem for decades, amassing customer loyalty through best-in-class professional services and customer management practices,” said Müller. “So while I’m confident our clients are happy, I am anxious to find ways we can further improve their customer experience with all of abas’ resources at our disposal.” “We’re better together,” Furby agreed. “In isolation, employees and customers are more limited in what they can achieve. When we combine our IP and resources and operate as one, there are endless opportunities for our people, for abas, and for the clients we serve.”

abas Establishes Regional Service Hub in Eastern Europe

The creation of Forterro Bulgaria Ltd. follows the integration of a minority-owned Abas partner in Bulgaria. All employees from the partner business will move directly into abas to build a wholly-owned subsidiary that is directly servicing and supporting abas ERP implementations that extend from DACH into Eastern Europe.

Furby emphasized that the regional service hub in Bulgaria will support the company’s drive to better align its direct international operations with those of its customers, as well as provide increased capacity to support abas customers in Germany with a talented and experienced nearshore team.

“We need to be where our customers are and where they want to go,” said Furby. “Bulgaria presented the perfect location to support them, given its proximity to customer sites, as well as the product expertise and language skills of the team there. Opening this hub is a huge step forward in our strategy to provide a more consistent customer experience around the world.”

Forterro Bulgaria Ltd., led by Managing Director Veselka Petrova, will be operational immediately to continue serving and supporting Abas’ existing customers in Bulgaria.

about abas System GmbH

abas System GmbH is a reseller and systems integrator for the abas ERP solution, serving and supporting more than 100 midmarket manufacturing clients throughout northern Germany. Founded in Berlin in 1993, the company has remained a key abas ERP partner for nearly 30 years. From its headquarters in Berlin, and offices in Steinhagen, abas System GmbH delivers a wide range of services to its customers, including consulting services; ERP project and implementation services; product support; and software maintenance and customizations.