ECI Software Solutions has acquired UK-based ERP and e-commerce provider Prima Software in a move designed to strengthen its technology offering for office products dealers.
The acquisition, which closed on July 31, brings Prima’s cloud-native ERP and e-commerce platform into ECI’s Distribution portfolio. The companies said the combination will create a broader end-to-end technology ecosystem for independent office supplies dealers in the UK, Ireland and the US, with a particular focus on AI-powered capabilities and cloud-based business management.
Texas-headquartered ECI said the deal builds on its more than 25-year presence in the office supplies sector and reflects its continued investment in technology designed specifically for independent dealers.
ECI CEO Trevor Gruenewald said distributors were facing increasing pressure from online competitors, alongside rising customer expectations for fast, seamless ordering and fulfilment.
“Joining forces with Prima is a natural extension of our mission to help independent dealers thrive,” he stated. “At a time when distributors are facing rising customer expectations and tightening margins, the need for streamlined operations is critical.”
Prima CEO Stephen McLaughlin said the acquisition would enable the company to accelerate product development while maintaining its existing customer relationships and identity.
“This acquisition isn’t about changing Prima; it’s about giving our products and our people the resources to become even better at scale,” he noted. “With ECI, we are securing a future for Prima that would have been impossible to achieve alone.”
In a letter to customers, McLaughlin added: “Your experience with Prima remains the same: the same products, the same dedicated team and the same high level of support. The difference is that—going forward—we have the scale and resources to bring you new features more quickly, deepen integrations and enhance our software with advanced AI-driven insights.”
Writing on LinkedIn after the announcement, ECI Industry president Brian Bowerfind said the acquisition represented “another step forward” in ECI’s commitment to industry-specific software and investment in the office products channel.
“What has stood out most is the passion and customer-first mindset of the Prima team,” he wrote. “You can tell they’ve built something special and this culture comes through in every conversation. We’re excited to learn from each other and build on that foundation together.”