Activant Solutions Inc., provider of ERP and point-of-sale software serving mid-market retailers and distributors, announced this month that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by funds advised by Apax Partners, a private equity firm with a focus on technology investment. Activant is currently owned by investment funds affiliated with Hellman & Friedman LLC, Thoma Bravo, LLC and JMI Equity, and by management.

Apax also announced that it is has entered into a definitive agreement under which funds advised by Apax will acquire Epicor Software Corp., a provider of enterprise business software solutions for the mid-market and the divisions of global 1000 companies. Apax intends to combine Activant with Epicor to create one of the largest global providers of enterprise applications focused on the manufacturing, distribution, services and retail sectors. Following completion of the merger, the combined company will be called Epicor Software Corp.

“This transaction is extremely positive for Activant’s customers, employees and investors alike,” says Pervez Qureshi, Activant president and chief executive officer. “Our market leadership and expertise in distribution perfectly complements Epicor’s expertise in the manufacturing and services sectors. Together, Activant and Epicor’s retail business solutions can now cover the full spectrum of retailing.”

He added that the combined company will have more than 30,000 customers and $825 million in annual revenues.

The acquisition of Activant is conditioned upon the concurrent closing of Apax’s acquisition of Epicor. Activant expects the acquisitions will close by the end of the second calendar quarter of this year.