French IT services group GFI Informatique has acquired two smaller outfits in its sector in France and one in Italy, the values of which it did not reveal. The Paris-based company has acquired complete equity control of the Roissy-based Groupe Gallius, a company specializing in Oracle implementations and object-oriented technologies, and Paris-based Ceacti, which offers SAP, Oracle and PeopleSoft implementations. In addition, it has entered into an agreement leading to acquisition of 70% of the Atel Group from Milan, which is active in managing systems and networks using Tivoli software, as well as in internet and intranet technologies. These acquisitions form part of GFI’s broad strategy of growing through purchases, for which purpose it amassed a war chest of $506m in July last year, by floating just under 11% of its equity on the Second Marche in Paris. It also hit the acquisition trail last year and bought four smaller outfits in systems integration in order to reach the fifth ranking in this sector in France. GFI itself, which started life as an EDS spin-off in 1995, currently comprises three divisions, namely VAR sales, ERP integration and New Technologies. Final figures for 1998 have yet to be released, but the company was targeting revenues of FFr1.56bn ($271m) for the period, achieving two-thirds of that total through September. For this year, it is forecasting revenues of FFr2.26bn ($394m), thanks partly to its acquisitions. CEO Jacques Tordjman has said his goal for the company is to reach the number three position in French IT services, behind Cap Gemini and the Anglo-French Sema Group.
