SANTA BARBARA, Calif. and CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 18, 2017 — SMS Systems Maintenance Services, Inc., a global market leader in IT data center lifecycle services, and Curvature LLC, the industry leader in new and pre-owned network hardware and IT infrastructure services, today announced a definitive agreement under which the two companies will merge.
With highly complementary product and service portfolios that serve adjacent market segments, the combined company will provide a broad range of IT networking and data center services, products and solutions to organizations of all sizes around the world. With more than $500M in combined revenue and over 2,000 employees, the combined company is committed to accelerating innovation in its client solutions across both hardware and service offerings and will make significant investment in sales and marketing.
SMS’ and Curvature’s capabilities have been recognized by diversified customers worldwide and leading industry analyst firms. In March 2016, both organizations were independently identified as “Top Performers” in a competitive landscape report issued by Gartner, entitled, “Leveraging Third-Party Maintenance Providers for Data Center and Network Maintenance Cost Optimization, North America.”[1] Following the transaction, both companies will execute on a unified mission to deliver the world’s best customer experiences within their sector globally.
“The SMS and Curvature organizations share a similar strategic vision and service philosophy that make this merger exciting for the combined company’s global client base and team members,” said John Wozniak, CEO of SMS. “The market awareness and demand for independent IT support and hardware solution providers continues to grow as organizations seek flexibility and control over their IT infrastructure. We are thrilled for the SMS | CURVATURE platform and enhanced ability to solve client needs.”
“With our similar backgrounds and shared focus on innovation, performance and customers, Curvature welcomes the opportunity to join forces with SMS,” said Mike Sheldon, CEO of Curvature. “Our combined strengths will create a global provider of IT solutions, with unparalleled products and services that will deliver value to organizations of all sizes worldwide.”
Partners Group, the global private markets investment manager and majority shareholder of SMS | CURVATURE on behalf of its clients, is supporting the merger. “SMS and Curvature are highly complementary to each other and there is significant industrial logic in their combination,” said Joel Schwartz, partner and head of private equity Americas at Partners Group. “We believe this merger creates the ‘category killer’ in IT asset lifecycle services, with a global platform and best-in-class service and hardware offerings, as well as expertise across network, server and storage devices.”
Following the transaction, the combined company will assume the name SMS | CURVATURE with more specific branding decisions to be made at a later date. John Wozniak will assume the role of CEO for SMS | CURVATURE and Mike Sheldon will take on the role of president and chief commercial officer.
Approvals
The transaction is expected to close by the end of February 2017, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the leadership teams at SMS and Curvature.
About SMS
Founded in 1981, SMS is a leading global provider of IT data center lifecycle services. Recognized for thought leadership and cutting-edge services, the company’s mission is “Enabling IT Freedom℠” for its clients, empowering them to make the most productive use of their IT assets, with utter reliability. A globally deployed team of field engineers and central engineering experts deliver best-in-class services to help customers migrate their businesses into the future while keeping pace with the ever-evolving IT industry. For more information, visit www.sysmaint.com.
About Curvature
Curvature is transforming how companies procure, maintain and upgrade IT equipment and support for multi-vendor network and data center environments. Founded in 1986, the company has become a trusted strategic partner for more than 10,000 organizations globally, including some of the largest telecommunications carriers, top financial services firms and Global 1000 organizations. Based in Santa Barbara, Calif., the company specializes in delivering 24X7 global technical support, advanced hardware replacement, and complete lifecycle management of networking, server and storage equipment from corporate locations in the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.curvature.com