ASX-listed logistics software outfit WiseTech Global has announced its’ biggest ever acquisition, signing a US$2.1 billion (A$3.25 billion) deal to buy US-based global trade software maker e2open.
The company says the acquisition adds a complimentary set of products to its CargoWise ‘ecosystem’, especially in adjacent areas of domestic logistics and carrier integration, as well as global trade and supply chain management.
It also said the addition of e2open product would “accelerate and deepen” WiseTech’s plans to create a multi-sided marketplace to connect asset-based carriers, logistics providers, importers, exporters, shippers and all the other participants in logistics and supply chain systems.
The market produced a positive reaction to the news, with WiseTech shares trading more than five per cent higher than its pre-announcement opening.
WiseTech Global founder and executive chair Richard White called the acquisition a strategically significant step toward its ambition to “be the operating system for global trade and logistics.”
“E2open also expands WiseTech’s product capabilities with an experienced team of people with industry expertise and innovative product development skills that will further accelerate our organic growth capability,” Mr White said.
“In bringing the two companies together, we see tremendous opportunity for synergies, efficiencies, economies of scale and enhanced customer benefits, which unlocks the potential in e2open’s suite of products,” he said.
The acquisition has arrived at a pivotal moment for the Sydney-headquartered company, which has pushed through the most tumultuous period in its history.
Mr White stepped down as chief executive in October 2024 after media reports alleged payments to a former sexual partner, prompting reputational scrutiny and a steep sell-off in shares.
E2open has recently been facing its own worries around its growth trajectory amid heightened macroeconomic uncertainty.
The latest acquisition dwarfs WiseTech’s previous deals, including the $414 million purchase of Blume Global in 2023, and positions the firm more squarely within the broader enterprise logistics and supply chain tech landscape.
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