Archos, a French mobile solutions specialist, has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in O2i Ingénierie, a subsidiary of Prologue Group. The experts at AURIS Finance, a consultancy specialising in mergers and acquisitions, explain this latest market move.
Still another merger in the electronic products and services sector. France’s Archos is acquiring O2i Ingénierie, a group founded in 1989 and renowned for its expertise in digital transformation and the deployment and maintenance of information systems (secure hosting, messaging, backup, monitoring). A subsidiary of Prologue, O2i Ingénierie is the first professional integrator to be certified by Apple Business Services, Gold Partner Jamf, Microsoft Certified Solution Provider Partner and cybersecurity solutions integrator. The group, which works with institutional clients, major accounts and SMEs, has forecast sales of €11 million for 2024.
A convergence of activities
For mobile solutions expert Archos, this acquisition supports its ambitious growth plans. The merger will establish Archos as a global leader in digital transformation, offering advanced technological solutions from engineering to integration. It will provide a comprehensive offering designed to meet the challenges faced by its institutional and industrial customers in managing their product fleets and mobile technologies. Founded in 1988, Archos Group initially gained recognition through its consumer electronics products, including portable digital music players, multimedia tablets, and smartphones, before expanding into the B2B segment with integrated global offerings.
Hypergrowth
In 2024, Archos achieved sales of €31 million, marking a 58% year-on-year increase. This follows a record year in 2023, when the group’s sales increased by 151%. Archos is now targeting further growth, with the aim of generating €60 million in turnover this year. To achieve this, the group is relying heavily on acquisitions. In 2024, Archos acquired Elexo Group, an Atos subsidiary that specialises in integrating rugged terminals for use in critical and hostile environments. This acquisition has strengthened Archos’s presence, particularly in the provision of mobile solutions for the defence, industrial, service and logistics sectors.
Industry concentration
The electronics and technology solutions sector is currently characterised by a strong trend towards consolidation. In order to strengthen its position in high-value niche markets and withstand competitive pressure, Archos has made a number of acquisitions. As well as integrating Elexo and acquiring O2i Ingénierie, Archos has also taken over Artic Distribution, an expert in industrial IT and operational maintenance, and Glacier Computer LLC, a US integrator.
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Competition from Asia is forcing French and European companies to collaborate in order to provide comprehensive solutions that can compete with those of leading international groups. In this context, major groups are scrutinising innovative and niche technologies. New developments could be on the horizon. At AURIS Finance, our experts specialise by sector. Our teams will support you throughout your sale or acquisition project.
