ERP vendor and systems integrator Real Software Group has spent $58.41 so far this year on acquisitions and is looking to make at least one more buy before year is out. The Belgium-based firm’s latest acquisition is French services company Arial, which it took a 50% stake in earlier this month. A spokesperson for the company would not disclose if the firm had a specific company in mind but did confirm that Real intended to carry on its acquisitions spree in the new year. The firm, which is headquartered close to Antwerp, generates revenue in three ways – producing ERP software, developing tailored systems based on its software and implementing other ERP systems such as SAP and Baan modules. Real’s software runs on the major flavors of Unix as well Microsoft Corp’s Windows NT OS. The company has been recently involved in developing custom-made systems for RATP -the Paris Metro system, Goodyear and KBC bank. The firm was set up in 1986 and floated on the Brussels stock exchange in 1997. The company employs 1,500 people, including 300 in the US. It also has offices across Europe. The firm’s revenue has grown 127% over the last year, its figures for the first half of this year were 1,612m Belgium Francs ($46.09m), compared with 711m ($20.33m) BEF in the same half of last year.
