UnifiedPost acquires Customer Communications Management (CCM) platform developer Inventive Designers
UnifiedPost strengthens position in high-volume, omnichannel customer communications technology and related consultative services
La Hulpe, Antwerp, 30 November 2018 – UnifiedPost, one of Europe’s leading FinTech companies, has acquired Customer Communications Management (CCM) platform developer Inventive Designers. Antwerp-based Inventive Designers, which was founded in 1993 and is 60 staff strong, helps businesses better communicate with their clients and stakeholders by providing advanced software technology and related consultative services. The company successfully sells its “Scriptura Engage TM” and “Xribe” digital customer experience solutions to different industries, including banking & financial, insurance, utilities, telecoms, and government, among others. With the acquisition, UnifiedPost Group grows its document generation and distribution capabilities, in addition to its European client base and partner network.
The Inventive Designers acquisition fits a series of strategic projects set to accelerate UnifiedPost’s access to (transactional) documents businesses across Europe. The company aims to position itself as the platform provider of choice for digitizing the B2B(2C) financial value-chain, spanning transactional document flows, supplier-client interactions, payments and more.
In April of this year, UnifiedPost raised €25 million from Participatiemaatschappij Vlaanderen (PMV) [Flanders Investment Company], the Federale Participatie- en Investeringsmaatschappij (FPIM) [Federal Investment Company], an American investment company and an international mix of private investors. The objective of this financing round is to propel UnifiedPost’s growth throughout Europe and expand its solutions portfolio. This is UnifiedPost’s second acquisition this year, only a few weeks behind the purchase of ADM Solutions, and more will follow.
“With the acquisition of Inventive Designers, we strengthen our supplier-client communication capabilities,” says Hans Leybaert, CEO, UnifiedPost, “Such communications, whether transactional or ‘interactional’, are the proverbial crude-oil on which we will further monetize, through payments and more”.
“As shareholders, we’ve always felt strongly about the continuity and growth of our business. Coming to understand the significance of the Inventive Designers’ portfolio within the UnifiedPost Group, we are convinced that this next chapter will prove beneficial for all involved: employees, clients, partners, etc.” says Joke Dehond, former Chairwoman of Inventive Designers. “We wish to thank all that have supported our company since the beginning.”
“By joining forces, we immediately service a much larger client base,” adds Jim Verbist, CEO of Inventive Designers. “Furthermore, as UnifiedPost’s Documents Expertise Centre, we will enhance our customer communication capabilities by accelerating our roadmap and expanding our digital customer experience eco-system with complementary technology partners like data aggregation, analytics tools, payment collection, etc.”
About UnifiedPost
UnifiedPost is a leading FinTech company that helps businesses digitize and optimize their financial value chain, in B2B(2C): from contract to invoice to payment, including alternative financial services.
We develop and manage platforms for electronic payment collection, invoice financing and more, starting from "transactional document processing”.
Interesting facts and figures about the UnifiedPost group:
- Established in 2001, with a proven track record
- 2017 consolidated turnover over €26 million, predominantly recurrent
- 260+ FTE throughout Europe, of whom 70+ work in R&D
- 200 million documents processed per year
- Diverse portfolio of clients across a wide variety of industries (banking, leasing, utilities, media, telecommunications, travel, social security service providers, public organizations, etc.) ranging from large internationals to SME communities
- PAY-NXT payment institution recognized by the National Bank of Belgium
- International M&A track record (e.g. ZET Solutions, PowertoPay, Nomadesk, Onea, ADM Solutions, etc.)
About Inventive Designers
Inventive Designers, headquartered in Antwerp, Belgium, was founded in 1994 by Guy Dehond and Patrick Morren as a communication technology development company. Led by Joke Dehond and Klaas Bals, the company evolved towards an advanced Customer Communications Management (CCM) technology and service provider.
Inventive Designers markets a best-in-class, omnichannel and high-volume CCM platform, called “Scriptura Engage TM” used to ensure customer experience and brand consistency over the complete customer lifecycle at large enterprises worldwide.
Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: The statements contained herein may include prospects, statements of future expectations, opinions and other forward-looking statements in relation to the expected future performance of UnifiedPost and of the markets in which it is active. Such forward-looking statements are based on management's current views and assumptions regarding future events. By nature, they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that appear justified at the time at which they are made but which may not turn out to be accurate. Actual results, performance or events may therefore differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, UnifiedPost does not undertake any obligation to update, clarify or correct any forward-looking statements contained in this press release in light of new information, future events or otherwise and disclaims any liability in respect hereto. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.