E-commerce firm EKM acquired by London tech firm
A Preston company which provides e-commerce and online retail software to SMEs has been acquired by a leading technology company.
EKM will become part of London-based software group, ClearCourse strengthening its e-commerce and online retail capabilities as it joins the company’s Business Services division.
Founded in 2002, EKM powers over £350m of transactions annually for its customer base of SME online retailers.
Its platform offers a full suite of e-commerce solutions, with capabilities including online shop design and visitor conversion tools.
Following the acquisition, EKM and its customers will also benefit from the integration of ClearCourse’s proprietary payments platform, ClearAccept.
Brands across the ClearCourse Partnership will also benefit from the EKM acquisition. Those in the firm’s Retail Division, such as Swan Retail and The EPOS Bureau, will benefit from EKM’s e-commerce offering.
The latter’s services will be integrated into business domains including furniture, garden centres, department stores, farm shops and artisanal food.
Gerry Gualtieri, CEO of ClearCourse, said: “We are very pleased to announce that EKM will be joining the ClearCourse Group.
“It is a fantastic business which has grown from strength to strength since its inception, and we are excited to learn from the expertise of Antony and his team.
“EKM will bring a range of positive synergies to ClearCourse and our existing brands, and its acquisition will be a significant expansion of our e-commerce and retail offering.”
Antony Chesworth, Founder and Managing Director of EKM, said: “We are excited to be joining the ClearCourse Group, which will enable us to take the next steps in our nearly 20-year journey to help even more people to spend life doing something they love with their own easy-to-use online shop.
“The range of services, products and expertise within ClearCourse offers great synergies to our customers and will help us to grow their online businesses even further.”
