Milwaukee-based ARI Network Services Inc. today announced that it has acquired Des Moines, Iowa-based Direct Communications Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
ARI offers a suite of Software as a Service, software tools and marketing services for dealer, manufacturer and distributor sales in select verticals. It has about 350 employees.
DCi, founded in 1981, is a leading provider of differentiated product content and electronic catalog software for manufacturers, distributors, jobbers and independent retailers in the automotive aftermarket. Its headquarters will remain in Des Moines, and Mark Toebben will continue to head the division as vice president and general manager of DCi, an ARI Company. It has 37 employees, all of whom will stay on in Des Moines.
ARI expects the acquisition to generate about $4 million in incremental revenue and be accretive to EBITDA in fiscal 2016. The company also in April acquired TASCO Corp., a Wexford, Pa.-based business management software provider for aftermarket tires.
“The acquisition of DCi will accelerate ARI’s growth in the automotive aftermarket and is consistent with our strategy to grow the business both organically and through strategic acquisitions,” said Roy Olivier, ARI president and chief executive officer. “The acquisition allows ARI to further expand the reach of our data-driven e-commerce websites and automotive point-of-sale software and will propel the development of new technologies to serve the 500,000 businesses in the automotive aftermarket.”
