Infor has announced the acquisition of Albanero and Acumen. Albanero is a data migration and management solution vendor. Its data mesh platform allows enterprises to solve data automation challenges. Acumen provides TPM and pricing software for FMCG companies. Along with consulting services to help consumer goods brands manage and optimise their pricing, trade terms, promotions and pack price architecture.
While Albanero will strengthen the underlying data platform that Infor already has. Acumen will provide new software and a level of expertise that will allow it to go deeper into industry verticals, notably competing with SAP.
Kevin Samuelson, Infor CEO, commented, “Infor’s strategy remains fiercely focused on helping customers unlock core value drivers within their industry-specific operations. The next wave of innovation is completely data-driven and generating real value from it begins with a secure industry-rich data foundation. Both Albanero and Acumen advance this core strategy by offering customers contextualized meaning to their industry-specific data within their core ERP systems.”
The deals both closed on the 1st of July 2024. No financial terms were disclosed for either acquisition. In total, around 160 people from both companies will join Infor, including the leadership.
Albanero
Infor has partnered with and used the Albanero platform since 2022. It has used the Albanero data mesh platform to assist customers with data migration and data management. Typically this has been to move data from an on-premises location to the cloud. In acquiring Albanero, Infor can now productize this process across all of its CloudSuite. Esuring faster and better data migrations for new customers. Data migrations from legacy solutions are often cited as one of the biggest challenges facing Cloud-based ERP migrations.
Embedding the Albanero data mesh platform into Infor OS will enable Infor teams to extract and migrate data from rival/legacy ERP solutions. Such as SAP, Oracle, Salesforce, Sage, and Oracle NetSuite.
The solution will bring a power data mesh platform, often only affordable by enterprises, into the hands of SMEs. With better governance and structure that the Albanero solution can provide customers. It will also be able to take better advantage of the latest generative AI capabilities that Infor is building.
The work to integrate Albanero into Infor started two years ago. Customers adopting Infor’s CloudSuite for the Food & Beverage, Fashion and Distribution industries can already take advantage. Post acquisition, Infor is dedicating resources to make the service available to other CloudSuite solutions. Though Infor gave no timescale or order for this.
Bruce Douglas, Founder and CEO of Albanero, commented, “We are thrilled to become part of the Infor family. This union represents a significant milestone for both companies, combining our innovative data mesh capabilities with Infor’s extensive industry expertise.
Together, we are poised to deliver unparalleled data management solutions that will empower businesses to harness the full potential of their data. We look forward to a future of shared success and innovation.”
Manish Sharma, Founder and CTO of Albanero, “Cloud technologies have enabled Albanero to innovate in how data is managed. We are excited to provide Infor customers with a decentralized data mesh solution that puts the power of their data back into their business.
“This technological leap has addressed many of the challenges associated with centralized data management by empowering data owners at the source. We look forward to leveraging the extensive technological capabilities of Infor and Koch to expand our market reach.”
Douglas has joined Infor as Senior Vice President of Data Services. He is leading a new data business unit that aims to deliver world-class data solutions to Infor customers. Sharma is also joining Infor, though it is unclear what role he will be taking up.
Acumen
Acumen was founded in 2008 by Nick Ryan and Matt Wills. They both worked at Pepsi-Co and found the pricing tool available to them inadequate. They set up Acumen to solve the problem with a mix of solutions and consulting services. To help guide CPG firms through the pricing maze. With offices in London and Singapore, the company already has 12 out of the top 20 FMCG firms as customers.
The acquisition will see Infor acquire a leading Trade Promotion Management solution. That will complement Infor CloudSuite Food & Beverage and CloudSuite Fashion. Enabling customers to optimise pricing across their portfolio. The Acumen solutions and consulting services will enable Infor to assist customers to make better-informed decisions on pricing promotions, trade terms and more in the future.
Customers include global brands such as Bayer, Coca-Cola Europacific partners, Danone, Heineken, L’Oreal, Pernod Ricard, Premier Foods and Colgate Palmolive.
Nick Ryan, Co-Founder of Acumen, said, “We are excited to become part of Infor, bringing our CPG Revenue Management software solutions and strategic consulting practice into the Infor portfolio. Joining Infor will enable us to leverage the latest Infor technologies to enhance our platforms and speed to market, while enabling us to continue to grow our client base and extend our geographic reach.
Matt Wills added, “We’re so proud of the team we’ve built, the business we’ve established and the clients we work with. The Infor acquisition will allow us to offer great opportunities to our team and speed up our time to value for our clients.”
Both Ryan and Mills are joining Infor, though neither has updated their LinkedIn profile.
Enterprise Times: What does this mean?
It has been a little while since Infor made acquisitions. However, these two significantly strengthen the underlying platform and CPG industry verticals. They are well-thought-through acquisitions, and with Albanero makes sense. Infor did not want a repeat of Signavio, the business process mining vendor with whom it partnered in 2019, only to see the vendor acquired by SAP in 2021.
This time Infor has bought the solution before any other vendors can pick it up. With many of the Albanero customers using SAP solutions and some potentially considering their move to the cloud, the acquisition comes at an opportune time for Infor. Can it provide an alternative route for those customers than S/4HANA, with its industry-dedicated solutions?
While the dust may be settled on the acquisition itself, the impact of both of these purchases ripple across the next few years as SAP customers consider their options with support for SAP ECC expiring.
