DATE: 23/12/2003

Kewill Buys TradePoint Systems

Supply chain management software vendor Kewill Systems Plc is paying up to $14.1m for TradePoint Systems Group, a privately-held trade facilitation software company that claims a 25% share of the US customs clearance software market.

The Nashua, New Hampshire company, had revenue around $11.8m last year and operating profits of $1.1m and the deal is expected to be immediately accretive to Kewill's earnings.

The logic behind the deal is that an increasing number of companies are sourcing goods and supplies across national boundaries while, at the same time, governments have increased the regulation and compliance requirements for shipments at their borders. Kewill argues that the synergies of a combined Kewill/TradePoint offering are increasingly compelling.