Technical information provider IHS Inc. this week announced its acquisition of the assets of PCNAlert from SupplyEdge Inc. for $10 million in cash. PCNAlert is a component event management solution provider that produces such offers as product change notifications (PCNs) and end-of-life (EOL) notifications for the electronic components industry.
IHS plans to integrate PCNAlert's portfolio into its electronic components business as an add-on to the product line. IHS expects PCNAlert's integration into the IHS proprietary components database to help the company provide customers with an end-to-end engineering obsolescence management solution. It will enable those customers--such as component manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM and electronic manufacturing services (EMS)--to identify and solve potential part obsolescence issue early in their processes.
The main goal for directory and database publishers these days is to create complete, end-to-end solutions for customers; solutions that assist customers in every step of their day-to-day work lives. In order to continue to be relevant with customers, publishers must provide these solutions that solve each and every problem customers face in their businesses. It's one of the best ways to build customer loyalty. IHS certainly had this strategy in mind when the company selected PCNAlert as its latest acquisition. Customers will undoubtedly recognize the value of this deal very quickly--and they will most likely renew their subscription to IHS's database just as fast.