ImageQuix, a leading provider of software solutions for professional photographers, announced the acquisition of Fotomerchant, one of the most respected end-to-end workflow solutions for high-volume studios. Terms weren't disclosed.
The acquisition follows the investment by Charlesbank Technology Opportunities Fund, a fund managed by Charlesbank Capital Partners, into ImageQuix. At the time of the announcement, Charlesbank said the funding would assist ImageQuix in accelerating the expansion of its business both organically and through M-and-A. ASG invested in ImageQuix in 2018, beginning a four-year trend of acquisitions and growth, which included the acquisition of PhotoLynx (acquired in 2019) and Capturelife (acquired in 2021).
According to the press release: "The strategic acquisition of Fotomerchant into ImageQuix’s growing portfolio of solutions-focused businesses unites the strengths of both companies and will allow both teams to work closely together on better solutions for all customers.
"To ensure a seamless experience for clients of both companies, Fotomerchant and ImageQuix will continue to operate without any disruption to the exceptional service levels and high-quality experience clients have come to expect, providing uninterrupted support and ongoing feature development for all current products, projects, and partnerships.
"In parallel both teams will begin collaboration on the long-term goal of creating a unified, best-in-class solution for all studios. Integrating the skills and experience of both the ImageQuix and Fotomerchant teams, the unified offering will harness the market-leading features of Blueprint and Fotomerchant, leveraging the latest technological advancements."
The announcement declared the key benefits of the combination were:
Enhanced Capabilities: Studios will have access to an expanded set of tools and services to empower them to thrive in a competitive and ever-changing market.
Collaborative Innovation: By working together, both companies will drive continuous innovation, ensuring that customers receive the best solutions to meet their evolving needs.
"We are thrilled to embark on this journey with Fotomerchant, having watched them go from strength to strength over the last few years" said Alex Kovacevic, CEO of ImageQuix. "Our commitment to serving and enriching our customers remains stronger than ever, and this acquisition allows us to pool our resources and expertise to deliver even more value to them in both the short term and long into the future.”
We’ve had a very healthy competition with ImageQuix for many years but spent much of this time developing against each other," said Elmar Platzer, CEO and co-founder, Fotomerchant. "This partnership removes unnecessary barriers and duplication and allows us to focus more energy on helping our customers grow and deliver continued innovation that benefits everyone.”