Mandrakesoft Acquires Edge-IT

[Guest anon]

By Jacques Le Marois

 

 

"Mandrakesoft today announces the acquisition of "Edge-IT", a Linux

support and services company. The Edge-IT acquisition strengthens our

commitment to the corporate market.

Mandrakesoft, publisher of the Mandrakelinux distribution, and Edge IT a provider of support and services in the Linux market, reached a definitive agreement by which Mandrakesoft will acquire all outstanding shares of Edge-IT.

 

Founded in 2003, by some of the key employees of Open Care, the first European Linux support company, Edge-IT focuses on the delivery of services and support to the corporate market in France. It has 6 employees and counts among its customers, OECD, the world economic organization, Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques, an elite French Political Science School, and Prisma Presse, one of the top press group in France.

 

Existing Edge IT customers will keep receiving the same level of high quality services from the company, now backed by a worldwide Linux editor.

 

François Bancilhon, CEO of Mandrakesoft declared: "I am delighted that Edge-IT decided to join the Mandrakesoft family. They will bring to us their extensive knowledge of the corporate market, their strong expertise in delivering support and services and will be a great complement to our service team".

 

"We are very happy to join Mandrakesoft, this will allow us to grow more aggressively our corporate business and deliver better services to our current customers" said Patrice Lallement, CEO of Edge IT.

 

The acquisition is expected to be accretive to earnings within a semester. It is to be performed by an exchange of stock. Globally, Edge IT shareholders will receive 70,000 Mandrakesoft shares, which represents 1.47% of outstanding Mandrakesoft shares.

 

The deal, which still needs to be approved by the Extraordinary General Meeting of Mandrakesoft shareholders, should close within a few months."