Dynamics Consolidation: Tribridge Acquires ePartners
Tribridge, the major Microsoft Dynamics partner that recently became one of Microsoft's three Master VARs in the United States, this month acquired another high-profile Microsoft Dynamics partner: Dallas-based ePartners.
The deal, terms of which were not disclosed, combines two award-winning and very connected Microsoft partners. "Tribridge has won Microsoft Dynamics Partner of the Year awards three of the last five years," said David Willis, vice president of Microsoft's U.S. Dynamics business, in a statement supporting the merger. "Their acquisition of another Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle partner with a sizeable customer base, industry expertise and additional, committed resources will help Tribridge continue to grow their business exponentially."
For its part, ePartners was a Microsoft Global Partner of Year in 2001 and 2004 and was a finalist for Microsoft Dynamics U.S. Reseller of the Year in 2010.
In a statement explaining the deal, Tribridge CEO and Chairman Tony DiBenedetto said his Tampa, Fla.-based company secured equity funding last year to make strategic acquisitions like the ePartners deal. He said ePartners was especially attractive to Tribridge for its vertical experience in health care, as well as its broad ERP practice and cloud computing expertise.
According to a Tribridge statement, "more than 90 percent of ePartners employees and executives will join the Tribridge team in a variety of roles."
The deal comes after ePartners sold its U.K. operations in August to eBECS Ltd., a Microsoft Dynamics reseller in the United Kingdom that specialized in Microsoft Dynamics AX and Dynamics CRM solutions.
Tribridge has about 400 employees and about 3,500 customers, according to the company's Web site. It wasn't immediately clear whether that figure included the ePartners addition.
In mid-November, Microsoft named Tribridge the third and, for now, final member of its Dynamics Master VAR program. Tribridge joined SBS Group and Socius, both of which were announced as Master VARs on Microsoft's Dynamics partner-only portal in October.
As Master VARs, the three companies will be able to create their own Microsoft-sanctioned networks of smaller Dynamics partners, called Sales Affiliates, throughout the United States that will leverage the Master VAR's centralized marketing, support, operations and training.
Related:
Posted by Scott Bekker on December 05, 2011