Sage launches Australian operation

Sage, one of the largest financial software vendors in the world, has launched a direct Australian operation and is hungry for acquisitions.

The company has consolidated four local companies it recently acquired -- ACCPAC, ACT (formerly Interact), HandiSoft and MicrOpay -- and rolled them under the Sage brand.

More acquisitions were expected in the financial software and payroll industry, said Alan Osrin, Sage's Australian country manager.

Previously Sage was operating in this country through distribution only.

Sage is listed on the London Stock Exchange. Osrin said the UK-headquartered company is "what MYOB is here but on a much larger scale".

He claimed that Sage had one of the best offerings in the mid-market space. "No other player offers accounting, payroll and CRM like we do," he claimed.

Channel-wise, Sage ACCPAC and Sage ACT share several local channel partners. "Already, operating companies are using channel referral programs to help our partners expand their revenue base," he said.

Osrin said Sage intends to become one of the leading software brands in Australia. The company launched a $3.5 million marketing and branding campaign to promote the brand in this country.

Ivan Epstein, Sage's Southern Hemisphere CEO, said the Australian companies Sage had acquired via its acquisition of previously listed company Softline, had contributed to revenue growth and improved operating margins.

Sage provides accounting, payroll, CRM, tax, practice and fixed asset management and a range of specialist applications for manufacturing and distribution, project managers, service providers and retailers.

The company has 400 permanent and casual staff in Australia. Worldwide, Sage Group has 4.5 million business customers, 8000 staff and 21,000 resellers throughout the UK, continental Europe, North America, South Africa and Australia. It has a market capitalisation of $6 billion.