The new year promises to be an exciting new chapter in the Blacksmith Applications story.

As part of our continued effort to deliver innovative price discount and trade promotion management solutions to the CPG industry, we are pleased to announce the completion of a strategic acquisition.

Blacksmith Applications proudly welcomes GoSimple, a foodservice trade promotion management solutions and claims processing provider, to our family.

We look forward to continued strategic growth as we leverage the many talents of our new collective organization.

Please read below for the full press release.

Paul Wietecha

President & CEO, Blacksmith Applications

 

 

Expanding Trade Management Solutions for Food & Beverage Manufacturers of all Sizes

 

Blacksmith Applications, a leading provider of SaaS-based trade promotion management software for enterprise-class consumer packaged goods manufacturers, today announced the acquisition of GoSimple LLC of Oldsmar, Florida.

GoSimple provides a complete foodservice trade promotion management solution to small and mid-tier CPG manufacturing organizations. GoSimple offers an end-to-end workflow, pricing analytics, and a fully integrated claims processing capability.

The combined company, which manages more than $4.5 billion in annual promotional spend, will provide a comprehensive solution that serves the needs of small and large CPG companies. Blacksmith will retain the GoSimple brand and offering as the premier solution for small and mid-tier CPG companies, and it will continue to be offered to new clients seeking ease of use and rapid onboarding. Blacksmith’s FORGE application will be the enterprise platform for clients with the most complex requirements. FORGE Analytics, providing data and insights to improve pricing and trade effectiveness, will be offered across the portfolio. Going forward, Blacksmith Applications will invest in product enhancements and extensions to meet the needs of the GoSimple client base.

“The Blacksmith Applications team has a vision that dovetails really well with the GoSimple brand. Together we can reach all tiers in the market, delivering product solutions that are best-in-class and structured for the needs of companies managing trade promotions, regardless of their size,” said Brian Maloney, COO of GoSimple. “This partnership will allow us to deliver the best solutions in the competitive set. Employees of GoSimple will also benefit from our expanded corporate network and professional growth opportunities.”

Brian Maloney will join Blacksmith Applications’ senior leadership team as General Manager of the GoSimple product division after the transaction.

“I have great respect for Brian Maloney and the GoSimple team. The solution they have built has been welcomed by the market, and it is a terrific complement to the FORGE enterprise platform, delivering a quick-start, easy-to-use solution for small and mid-tier clients,” said Paul Wietecha, President & CEO of Blacksmith Applications. “This transaction demonstrates our commitment to assembling the best talent and creating the best solutions to meet the growing pricing and promotion demands of the entire CPG industry. Together, we will continue to outpace the competition.”

The needs that Blacksmith Applications addresses with its application, FORGE, are highlighted as ongoing imperatives in the industry. According to a recent Gartner* publication, “Consumer goods manufacturers continue to spend a significant portion of their budgets managing promotions and price reductions as a part of collaborative efforts with retail partners.”

As an organization with tiered end-to-end solutions for both retail and foodservice, Blacksmith Applications will be able to drive critical transformation in the CPG manufacturing industry with process oriented and analytically superior solutions.

Blacksmith Applications will leverage GoSimple’s investments in location level data and CRM solutions to enhance the client experience at every tier. The combined Blacksmith Applications will expand strategic investments in analytics and integrations to deliver insights that advance the business intelligence position of our customers and separate our portfolio from competitors. Blacksmith Applications, which is backed by Strattam Capital, has a long history of partnering with the world’s largest CPG companies and it looks forward to continued success with existing and incorporated customers.

 

*Source: Gartner, “Market Guide for Trade Promotion Management and Optimization for the Consumer Goods Industry”, Ellen S Eichhorn, Stephen E. Smith, 2 February 2017