Acuative 'Gets Ahead Of The Curve' With Consulting In Thrupoint Acquisition

Fairfield, N.J.-based solution provider Acuative has acquired the U.S. division of Thrupoint in a move the company said will help expand its geographic reach and give it the consulting capabilities to provide a more business-focused approach to its clients.

Acuative, formerly Telsource, acquired the division for an undisclosed amount late last week. While Acuative had developed technology expertise over its 30 years of business, CEO Vince Sciarra said that it needed a deeper consulting knowledge to be able to provide better value to its customers, a key expertise of Thrupoint.

"Our strong suit has always been on the implementation of the services, maintaining and operating the technology," Sciarra said. "What Thrupoint brings is consultant services so we can get ahead of the curve, so to speak."

[Related: The 10 Biggest Tech Acquisitions Of 2013 ]

With the consulting expertise of Thrupoint and the technical expertise of Acuative, Sciarra said that the company now has the capacity to take the customer all the way through the process of talking about the technology through its execution and maintenance. Sciarra said that in order for the company to remain competitive, it no longer could exist as just a services business; it needed to be able to offer the consultative approach, as well, otherwise its clients might turn elsewhere.

"[Not offering consulting] puts us in a very competitive disadvantage," Sciarra said. "So, with the consulting side of it, we're at the table, at the front end of the sale, analyzing customer needs and working out what's best for them."

In addition to adding consulting expertise to Acuative's portfolio, the acquisition also brings global reach. While the closed acquisition only includes the U.S. division of Thrupoint, Acuative also is expected to close on the United Kingdom and Middle East divisions at the end of April. Acuative currently has a small global presence to support its multinational customers, but Sciarra said he hopes to expand that reach, providing greater support for global clients and then stepping into support for companies headquartered abroad.

Right now, Sciarra said the company is working to adjust to a new market strategy to encompass the new consulting features of the business. In particular, that includes retraining sales and marketing to completely change the go-to-market approach.

"It’s a whole different strategy going to market rather than going to market on the service side," Sciarra said. "I've already seen the benefit," he continued.

Going forward, Sciarra said that Acuative will continue to improve its value to customers through the consulting approach, and hopefully add a larger global presence as the remainder of the acquisition tentatively closes next month. He said that the company also hopes to close one or two smaller acquisitions down the road to fill "perceived weaknesses in our portfolio."

PUBLISHED MARCH 18, 2014