Open Text to Buy Centrinity

By Dennis Callaghan | Posted 2002-09-19

Open Text Corp. announced an agreement Thursday to acquire unified messaging software developer Centrinity Inc.

The acquisition would give Waterloo, Ontario-based Open Text, which develops knowledge management and collaboration applications, Centrinitys First Class Communications Platform for managing e-mail, voice mail and fax messages from the same mailbox.

Users of Open Texts Livelink platform could then capture content from those messages and add it to their Livelink knowledge base, Open Text officials said. Technology from the two companies would also accelerate the integration of voice and data conferencing capabilities in Open Texts Livelink MeetingZone application for online meetings, officials said.

"Going forward, we have a great opportunity to take two types of content—voice communication and messaging—and fully integrate them into Livelink, creating innovative new collaborative knowledge management solutions," said Open Text CEO Tom Jenkins in a statement.

Jenkins said Open Text would continue to support First Class customers as it integrates the two products.

Open Text will pay C$1.26 per share in cash for Richmond Hill, Ontario-based Centrinity, valuing the deal at about $19 million. Centrinitys board has unanimously approved the deal, which will now go to the companys shareholders for final approval.

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