ERP Giant JBA Acquired by Geac Computer Corp. Limited
By Jim Martin
AS/400 ERP provider JBA (Rolling Meadows, Ill.) has been acquired by Geac Computer Corp. Limited, a Canadian-based global supplier of mission critical business software.
With combined revenues of more than $1.3 billion, the combination of Geac’s and JBA’s enterprise applications businesses will make it the fourth largest enterprise application business provider in the world, after SAP, Oracle and PeopleSoft, according to Geac.
JBA will now become the ERP division of Geac, but will continue to develop, support and sell its own products. The JBA division will also include Geac’s Streamline product line, an NT-based solution for the mid-market, which JBA will now manage.
“JBA brings us great customers, great products and most importantly, great people,” says Doug Bergeron, president and CEO of Geac. “Their management style fits the Geac model. We are both looking for global leadership in our markets and together we can achieve that goal more profitably than if we had remained independent businesses.”
There are four key markets that JBA will focus on for Geac: the AS/400 ERP mid-market and supply chain sector, which JBA has a presence in with System 21; the apparel and footwear, food and beverage, and automotive supply and electronics industries, which AMR Research attributes JBA worldwide numbers one, two and three positions respectively; e-business solutions; NT-based ERP and supply chain solutions utilizing Geac’s streamline products.
“Our value to Geac is the strength of our knowledge, skills, products and customer base,” says Ken Briddon, formerly JBA CEO and now head of the JBA division of Geac. “We will continue developing and growing all of those areas within the new business structure and retain the unique characteristics of JBA that our customers and our own people value.”
Headquartered in Markham, Ontario, Geac has more than 180 offices and server customers in more-than 60 countries worldwide.