Dominion Enterprises Acquires Autobase, Inc.
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Makes first CRM acquisition in automotive industry
NORFOLK, Va., June 12 / -- Dominion Enterprises, a leading media and information services company, announced today that it has acquired Autobase, the leading supplier of auto dealership marketing and sales solutions. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Autobase is the pioneer of customer relationship management (CRM) tools for the automotive retail industry. The company provides marketing and sales solutions through world- class software products and services to more than 25,000 users in over 1,800 automotive dealerships nationwide. The company employs 140 people in Indianapolis, Cleveland and Chicago.
"Traditional sales processes in the auto dealer market have been slow to evolve, but the benefits of using CRM tools are quickly becoming essential. As the 22,000 franchise auto dealers in the U.S. move to adopt a results-based sales process, Autobase is a trusted brand that can fill this need," said Mitch Brooks, executive vice president of Dominion Enterprises.
Conrad M. Hall, president and chief executive officer of Dominion Enterprises, said of the acquisition, "We view this acquisition as an exciting new addition to our growing portfolio of automotive businesses that help auto dealers sell more cars with technology and Web solutions. Autobase was the first to establish CRM tools for the automotive industry and we are proud to welcome them to the Dominion Enterprises family."
Dominion Enterprises' portfolio of businesses for the automotive industry currently includes: Dealer Specialties, the nation's leader in delivering photo and video collection services, used vehicle window stickers, inventory management and Internet data distribution services; @utoRevenue, an industry leader in delivering comprehensive multi-channel customer contact solutions; Dealerskins, a Web design and solutions provider for automotive dealers; InterActive Financial Marketing Group, a special finance lead generation and marketing company serving franchise auto dealers nationwide; Cross-Sell, the largest national provider of accurate and quick-to-market sales data for new and used cars; Just Automotive, a direct marketing company offering dealerships nationwide targeted solutions to reach car buyers more cost effectively; Mailmark, an industry-leading direct marketer; SelectQu, a premier provider of data integration software solutions to automotive-related businesses; XIGroup, a Web design and Internet marketing company for franchise and independent auto dealers nationwide.
Bryan D. Anderson, founder and president of Autobase, will continue to lead the company as general manager. "We simply couldn't find a better partner than Dominion Enterprises. They have tremendous resources and are willing to invest in long term objectives. They care deeply about their employees and their customers," said Anderson.
The Autobase purchase is Dominion Enterprises' second acquisition in the automotive segment in the last two weeks. On June 5, as previously announced, the company purchased InterActive Financial Marketing Group, a special finance lead generation and marketing company, based in Richmond, Va.
About Autobase
Autobase, Inc., a division of Dominion Enterprises, has specialized in providing the automotive retail market with premier marketing and sales solutions since 1988. The rich history of this Indianapolis-based company, combined with its strong CRM reputation, comprehensive industry knowledge, and pioneering work in feature-rich technology has long impacted the bottom line for aggressive dealers nationwide. For more information, visit http://www.autobase.net/.
About Dominion Enterprises
Dominion Enterprises, headquartered in Norfolk, Va., is a leading media and information services company serving employment, real estate, automotive, recreation and industrial markets in the United States. The company operates a variety of technology businesses that offer Internet marketing, Web site design and hosting, lead generation, CRM, and data capture and distribution services including Advanced Access, PowerSports Network, and Dealer Specialties. The company has more than 500 paid and free magazine titles such as The Employment Guide, For Rent, Harmon Homes, Boat Trader, Cycle Trader and RV Trader with a combined weekly circulation of over 5 million, and more than 40 market-leading Web sites such as EmploymentGuide.com, ForRent.com, Homes.com, and TraderOnline.com, reaching more than 8 million unique monthly visitors. The company has nearly 7,000 employees nationwide and 2006 annual revenue of more than $850 million. For more information, visit http://www.dominionenterprises.com/.
Source: Dominion Enterprises
CONTACT:Jennifer Butsch, +1-757-351-7951 (office), +1-703-772-2599 (cell), jennifer.butsch@dominionenterprises.com
Web site: http://www.dominionenterprises.com/
http://www.autobase.net/
