KPS buys Spanish SAP consulting firm ICE, adds 100 consultants
German consulting firm KPS has acquired ICE Consultants, a Barcelona based SAP consulting partner. As part of the deal, which sees ICE become a 100% subsidiary of KPS, around 100 consultants will transfer to the German outfit.
Spain based ICE was established in 2001 by three managers – Lluís Sans, Javier Pan and Francisco Fernández – experienced in SAP and business process optimisation. Over the past 15 years, the IT consulting firm built a client base in Spain, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands as well as North and South America, today served by a team of approximately 100 consultants. ICE specialises in Business Process consulting, SAP implementation projects and Application Management Services, with a focus on clients in the retail, wholesale, consumer products, automotive and pharmaceuticals sectors.
Joining KPS will according to co-founder and partner Lluís Sans enable ICE to broaden its footprint across industries, while deepening its portfolio in SAP services. “KPS has an outstanding reputation, we look forward to being a part of this very successful company,” he said in a statement. “Joining forces with KPS puts us in a position to further strengthen our presence in Spain but also on an international level.”
Following the integration, which is planned to be completed early October 2017, the firm will operate independently under the wings of its new German parent, with no impact on its services to existing clients, he added. “We remain committed to our existing customers as always and from now on can offer them additional services.”
Acquirer KPS is a focused consultancy firm for the Retail, Wholesale, Fashion and Consumer Products segments. Founded in 2000, and headquartered in Munich, the firm generates a revenue of around €160 million across its footprint in Europe and the United States, making it one Germany’s largest home breed management consulting and IT execution firms.
The acquisition of ICE marks its first expansion into the Spanish speaking consultancy market, a move which, according to KPS CEO Leonardo Musso builds on the firm’s internationalisation target. “With the acquisition of ICE we consequently pursue our international expansion strategy. The team in Barcelona will advise our customers in the Spanish speaking markets – ICE is thus the perfect addition to our company.” The addition of ICE’s 100 consultants takes KPS’s headcount to over 800, and adds clients such as Coca-Cola, Revlon, Sanofi and Seat to its roster of clients including Hugo Boss, Puma, Lidl, Fressnapf/Maxi-Zoo, Dansk Supermarked and Deichmann.
Looking ahead, Musso said the firm is confident it can leverage its expertise and track record to further its position in Europe’s retail transformation market, stating, “We are leaders in fast-track digital transformation projects enabling our customers to become real-time omnichannel players within the shortest time possible. We support them from backend to frontend – from inventory control to e-commerce to digital customer management.”
