D&B recently announced two separate initiatives designed to position the company for long-term growth. The first is a joint venture with Japan's Tokyo Shoko Research (TSR) of which D&B will become the majority shareholder and trade under the name Dun & Bradstreet TSR Ltd. This venture will enable D&B to simultaneously bolster its presence in Japan and in its risk management sector that targets large business customers and global multinational firms. Operations related to the venture are expected to kick off in fiscal 2008.
D&B also announced its acquisition of Purisma Inc., a commercial data integration (CDI) software solutions provider, for $48 million. The deal is designed to help D&B bolster its presence in the CDI market. According to a press release announcing the acquisition, Purisma's data hub and CDI software appliance are built to leverage the D&B database, which will simplify the integration of D&B data with customers' internal systems and further embed D&B offerings behind the customer firewall.
Both deals seem like smart moves by D&B for different reasons. It's so important these days to have the most comprehensive products and services available. And Purisma will help D&B do just that by raising its profile in the marketplace. But that's certainly not the end of the story. It's also vital that customers, wherever they are located, can have access to your company's solutions. In today's global marketplace, that means being aggressive in markets beyond your home country's borders. Doing so may seem like an intimidating proposition, if you go it alone. That's another reason why D&B's joint venture with TSR makes sense. This established player undoubtedly understands the nuances of its customer base and will help position D&B for success.