ACI Worldwide, the international mammoth software company that provides ATM software and payment processing solutions, has acquired its distributor North Data Uruguay S.A. as the first step in its restructure of its distribution system in Latin America.

After a very successful 2011 and immediately after completing the acquisition of its all-times rival S1, Inc., ACI decided to acquire 100% of North Data Uruguay S.A.

This acquisition is only the beginning of ACI’s plan to rebuild its regional distribution network in Latin America. The American company has indicated its intention to manage Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay as a regional hub and use North Data’s staff and facilities as the regional headquarter to lead those markets.

The negotiations between ACI and North Data took more than 5 months and had its closing on May 24. ACI acquired 100% of the paid-in capital of North Data and retained all the staff. North Data was a long-time ACI distributor in the Uruguayan market.

FERRERE Abogados assisted ACI in the due diligence process, drafting and negotiation of the transactional and retention documents. Pamela Moreira, who led the team that worked on the deal, indicated that: “Our M&A pipeline presents several cases where American companies are acquiring its traditional provider, reseller or distributor. After the good results that the regional market had last year, this trend could mean that several American companies are increasing its direct present to share the profits that the resellers or distributors have recently received.Martín Colombo observes that: “American companies have changed the investment approach that they had in the 1990s. They are putting great effort in the designing of an attractive retention package, which comes to show that local experience and know how is much more appreciated that in the past”.