Locked EN (Press): Unified Communications provider Swyx attacks European market leadership after takeover by Waterland

[Tom Wellige]

The associated company Waterland has acquired Swyx Solutions, a pan-European manufacturer of unified communications solutions for medium-sized companies. Waterland is thus strengthening its software and IT portfolio. For Swyx, this opens new opportunities for European expansion.

Swyx is a leading manufacturer and developer of software solutions that not only offer companies the complete functionality of PBXs, but also optimize communication and accelerate business processes. Swyx integrates and links all communication channels such as telephony, messaging, video and e-mail with business-relevant process applications. The solution can be operated at the customer's site, from the partner cloud or based on Swyx's own cloud service SwyxON.

Growing internationally with Waterland

“In 1999, we started to make the classic telephone system superfluous - and at the same time to enable companies to communicate more efficiently and make their processes more productive. One year before the 20th anniversary, we are now on our way with the new shareholder to become Europe's market leader in IP-based corporate communications," says Dr. Ralf Ebbinghaus, CEO and co-founder of the Dortmund-based company with branches in Great Britain and France.

The advantages of unified communications are already being used today by almost one million users in 24 countries, who are supported by over 1,200 authorized local specialist trade partners.

Solutions from a medium-sized company suited for medium-sized businesses

With its solutions, Swyx concentrates on the midmarket and offers the award-winning software solution SwyxON as its own cloud service. The company is thus increasingly focusing on the growing demand for cloud solutions. The international share of sales is around 10 percent. “Outside Germany, Swyx has great growth potential," says Dr. Ralf Ebbinghaus. "Together with Waterland, we will now be able to exploit this potential."

Partner with extensive IT expertise

The associated company Waterland is already successfully managing various companies from the IT sector in its portfolio, such as the internationally operating Hanse Orga Group (financial software) or the Intelligent Group in the Netherlands, which specializes in hosting.

“With Waterland, we want to breathe new life into this experienced investor's buy & build strategy and further expand our dynamic organic growth in recent years, and become the European brand for IP communications. The team is looking forward to new markets and customers," says Ebbinghaus, explaining the expectations following the signing ceremony on 12 January 2018.

This is confirmed by Dr. Carsten Rahlfs, Waterland's partner: "The investment in Swyx is a perfect fit for our strategy of investing in fast-growing, high-quality companies that want to take and expand leading market positions.”

In the acquisition process, Swyx was exclusively advised by Q Advisors, a global investment banking boutique in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) segment, based in Denver and San Francisco.

Press release on swyx.com