Briefs

Data integration software maker Ascential Software Corp., Westboro, Mass., will broaden its focus to include data quality through the $92 million acquisition of Vality Technology Inc., Boston.

Ascential will pay cash for the company with the deal expected to close in April 2002, subject to approval of Vality's shareholders.

Acsential, formerly Informix, identifies itself as an "information asset" provider and the addition of Vality's Integrity data quality offering brings the company closer to fulfilling that role. By adding the Vality system to its existing extract, transform and load (ETL) platform, DataStage Connectivity, Ascential widens its data management and integration capabilities.

Vality's expertise is in enterprise data quality management, a vital link in the chain of data intensive applications like CRM, supply chain management, ERP, analytics and data warehousing. The company had 2001 revenues of $21.2 million and currently lists roughly 500 customers in the financial services, manufacturing and telecommunications markets.

Here is the article on searchCRM.