Blue Software acquires Kodak Design2Launch

Design2Launch provides brand graphics management technology. Blue Software is a brand lifecycle management software specialist and offers the Blue enterprise-level software-as-a-service platform. Blue Software will integrate Design2Launch with its existing operations, acquiring all technology, IP, customer contracts and employees.

The addition of Design2Launch’s global brand customers solidifies Blue’s position in the pharmaceutical, consumer products, retail and industrial chemical sectors, and Blue Software chief product officer Stephen Kaufman said: ‘Design2Launch has been an influential force in the workflow space for many years. Adding it to our team will be a natural addition to our technology portfolio and it definitely shares our deep passion for our markets. The Design2Launch organization and customers complement our leadership in the CPG, retail, and pharmaceutical space.

‘In fact, we now count eight of the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies as Blue customers.’

Dennis Reaves, vice president and general manager of Design2Launch, said: ‘Blue’s commitment to industry leadership and investment in technology innovation is second to none. We have spoken with many customers and partners, and received positive responses and support for the acquisition. The cultural alignment between organizations gives me great confidence in the value that our customers will receive by combining the two.’

This is the second acquisition by Blue Software and its financial partner Diversis Capital so far in 2016.

‘Design2Launch’s agile development approach is already an embedded aspect of its culture, which will only accelerate our integration and development capabilities,’ added Kaufman. ‘Additionally, its team enhances our existing regulatory validation skills with additional methods, tools and talents to bring continued value to customers and the marketplace.’

Current Blue and Design2Launch customers will continue to receive support from their current contacts. All current customer, partner and OEM agreements remain unchanged.