Newcastle-upon-Tyne-based Sage Group Plc has added to its collection of French companies with the purchase of Paris-based software firm Sybel Informatique SA for ú16.2m. For Sage the French market is growing in significance and contributed a third of the group’s turnover at the mid-term this year (CI No 2,655). Sybel posted a 1994 turnover the equivalent of ú19.2m and a pre-tax profit of ú1.0m and has 380 employees; it will be managed as a separate company within the Sage group but its distribution will be co-ordinated with the two other French companies. Sage said the acquisition fitted in with its declared aim of growing internationally through the purchase of local companies with strongly branded products. Sybel develops, distributes and supports personal computer-based accounting and financial software to medium and larger companies in France. It derives a little over half its sales from its software, It also develops treasury management and electronic banking products that contribute around a quarter of revenues. The balance comes from software maintenance and training. Sage chairman David Goldman said the acquisition rounds out our operations in France and gives Sybel a market strength and coverage there which equates to our position in the UK. Sage’s other two French subsidiaries are Saari SA, which the company bought in November last year (CI No 2,437) and where the management team has been replaced and cost-cutting measures have now resulted in higher margins, and Ciel SA, bought in October 1992 (CI No 2,024).
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