Blacksmith Applications Acquires TABS Analytics
I’m pleased to announce that we are joining forces with TABS Analytics.
This acquisition will be our fourth since 2018. It’s a critical step in our journey to solidify Blacksmith’s position as the industry’s leading provider of trade solutions and insights.
Some of our competitors have grown through acquisitions in the past and it hasn’t panned out well for them. They lost focus. They lost talent. They lost customers… in many instances to us.
Blacksmith’s approach to acquisitions and business integration can be summarized as follows:
- We only acquire companies that bring valuable, incremental talent and technology to further support and grow our collective customer base.
- We settle on goals together – before the deals are done – so we can move in lockstep together going forward, ensuring that our employees (and your support teams) remain highly engaged and excited about the future.
- We strive to improve the collective customer experience as a result of our growth strategies, not detract from it.
I’m excited for you to learn more, so we’ll be holding webinars in the coming months to introduce you to the talented team and amazing technology from TABS and its shopper insights division, Decision Insight.
2020 has been a challenging year for many reasons, but we won’t let that stop us from innovating, growing and serving you.
Please read below for the full press release.
Paul Wietecha
President & CEO, Blacksmith Applications
Blacksmith Applications Acquires TABS Analytics to Create Revenue Management Powerhouse
Blacksmith Applications, a leading provider of SaaS-based trade promotion management and optimization software to the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry, announced today its acquisition of TABS Analytics. The combined entity brings together the market-leading trade effectiveness, data analytics, category management and shopper insights solutions of TABS with the technical acumen, trade management expertise and domain knowledge of Blacksmith. This acquisition further establishes Blacksmith as a premier revenue management solution provider with a global operational footprint and a marquee roster of more than 350 CPG clients spanning Fortune 100 to mid-market and specialty manufacturers.
TABS solves one of the biggest challenges for consumer goods companies: turning data overload into insights by breaking down information silos that develop within CPG manufacturers. TABS brings a unique capability of combining data science with virtual shopper research and insights to deliver breakthrough business intelligence that benefits retailers and CPG manufacturers. By being able to harmonize and analyze data, then test, validate and learn about shopper behaviors, TABS helps CPG companies improve productivity and accelerate their return on investment (ROI).
TABS’s solutions, combined with Blacksmith’s applications, analytics and data, will enable CPGs to spend their time driving revenue, not dissecting data. Together, the organizations will manage, analyze and optimize omnichannel retail promotions through a unique mix of proprietary technology and a consultative performance analytics practice.
“By joining the Blacksmith team, our clients benefit from the solutions and scale of one of the industry’s leading SaaS companies,” said Dr. Kurt Jetta, executive chairman and founder of TABS Analytics. “CPG companies can further improve ROI by integrating TABS performance insights with trade promotion management, trade promotion optimization, and more broadly, revenue management and shopper analytics solutions. Our clients will be able to conduct predictive analytics on pricing, promotions and mix management within the Blacksmith platform.”
In his new role at Blacksmith, Dr. Jetta will be the chief analytics officer and a shareholder in the combined entity.
“It’s not enough to simply give customers part of the solution to address their trade challenges. Through the acquisition of TABS, the combined solution will link management, analytics and optimization to provide promotional stakeholders exactly what they need to manage and execute these investments in ways that grow revenue,” said Paul Wietecha, president and CEO at Blacksmith.
Marlin & Associates acted as the exclusive strategic and financial advisor and BakerHostetler acted as legal advisor to TABS for this transaction.
