We noted an interesting acquisition at the end of last week by one of the UK’s up and coming smaller software firms. The outfit in question is Cheshire-based Kirona, a specialist in mobile scheduling software and field force automation. The acquiree is Watford-based Xmbrace, another software player with a focus on automated mobile scheduling.
The reasoning behind this move by Kirona appears to be as much about boosting its interests in a key market space - i.e. local authorities and social housing - as it is about technology per se. Meanwhile, Kirona will of course aim to get Xmbrace’s solutions into other verticals that it already covers, notably in the private sector (including rescue & recovery, utilities, facilities management and construction). No doubt integration will be helped by the fact that Kirona and Xmbrace have “worked in partnership” since 2006.
Interesting fact about Kirona: its Chairman is Graham Gilbert, founder of Computerland, which of course was sold to Capita in 2008.