Epicor Buys Solarsoft

The software side of business in the electrical industry continues to evolve as the major system providers add heft, breadth and new capabilities through acquisitions. Last week, Epicor Software Corp., Dublin, Calif., added a specialist in enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for mid-market manufacturers and distributors with its agreement to acquire Solarsoft Business Systems from Marlin Equity Partners, a private-equity firm based in Hermosa Beach, Calif. The acquisition will push Epicor's revenues near the $1 billion mark.

Headquartered in Basingstoke, UK, with operations in Europe, North America and Asia, Solarsoft has established a client base in the lumber and building materials, print and packaging and automotive markets. Solarsoft's manufacturing execution systems (MES) and intelligence solutions provide extended capabilities to measure, monitor and optimize production and manufacturing operations through real-time data collection, analysis and performance tracking, whether in a single facility or across a global enterprise, Epicor said.

Solarsoft adds expertise and resources in cloud-based ERP, software as a service (SaaS) and managed services as well as in process manufacturing in highly regulated industries, Epicor said in a release.