MPS Monitor, a Milan, Italy-based company that develops and distributes platforms for remote monitoring and management of printers and MFPs, and Nexera, a Montreal, Canada-based service analytics company, announced that they are joining operations under new leadership. Valsoft Corporation, a Montreal-based private equity company, acquired MPS Monitor in 2022 and Nexera in 2023 (see “Valsoft Acquires MPS Monitor and EuroForm to Create MPS Solutions ‘Powerhouse’” and “Valsoft Acquires Nexera, Expanding Its Presence in the Printing Market”). Valsoft focuses on acquiring software companies in various vertical markets. A joint May 28 press release from the companies explains that MPS Monitor and Nexera are joining forced under Valsoft’s Managed Print Vertical.

Sarah Henderson, an industry veteran with two decades of experience including at Kyocera Document Solutions America and Clover Imaging Group, has been named regional director for North America for both businesses. Ms. Henderson will report to Alessandro Cirelli, chief operating officer of MPS Monitor and Nexera. Nicola De Blasi, former CEO of MPS Monitor and Euroform, has been appointed chief strategy officer for both companies.

“I am excited to lead MPS Monitor and Nexera’s North American joint operations and usher in a new era of excellence,” Ms. Henderson said in the press release. “Our integrated approach will enable us to deliver unmatched value and customer satisfaction.”

“By joining forces with Nexera under Sarah’s leadership, MPS Monitor is now entering a new and more dynamic phase of growth and innovation,” Mr. De Blasi said in the press release. “By aligning and sharing common strategies and resources, the two companies are poised to deliver unparalleled value and achieve sustainable growth in the Managed Print Services Market.”

Who Does What and What Will Integration Look Like?

Both MPS Monitor and Nexera provide Software as a Service (SaaS). As noted, the former company focuses on printer/MFP monitoring and management while the latter focuses on service analytics. Mr. Cirelli broke down for us the differences between the two companies’ offerings in more detail. He said:

Going into more detail, Nexera helps dealers enhance their service department operations. Their solution offers various features aimed at simplifying and improving the processes required to manage a service department. Dealers have access to: World Comparative Performance Analytics (WorldStats™); activity performance measurement and coaching; technician/supervisor grade based bonus program; Territory management and automated car stock creation; Advanced Inventory Management (AIM); executive insight (dashboard showing visual perspective of areas of operational cost excess that can be targeted to increase profitability); dedicated performance analyst (Nexera expert who can focus on analyzing and improving the performance of your service department).

On the other hand, MPS Monitor provides a comprehensive SaaS platform for monitoring and managing printers, MFPs, and label printers. It helps MPS providers deliver top-notch service at lower cost and streamlines processes for billing, meter reading, and automated supplies fulfillment. On top of the traditional MPS features, our platform stands out for its: robust security approach (compliance with stringent international standards, such as ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type 2 and CSA Star 2); GDPR compliance; full set of API for integrating external software solutions; remote EWS and embedded DCA; integration of Power BI; consumable stock management capability; customizable reporting; ERP/CRM integration.

In their announcement, MPS Monitor and Nexera said they will be “integrating their strengths into a unified, comprehensive solution for Print and Imaging dealers and Managed Print providers.” Benefits include enhanced capabilities for print-fleet management, service delivery optimization, analytics, and reporting to help dealers manage their customer base more efficiently and effectively. The firms also promised dealers and MPS providers will see streamlined workflows, improved customers support, and innovative new features.

Despite the talk of integration, MPS Monitor’s and Nexera’s platforms and solutions will remain separate—at least for now. Mr. Cirelli explained what the integration means for the two firms thusly: “MPS Monitor and Nexera, under Valsoft Corporation’s Managed Print Vertical, will share the go-to-market strategy and leadership team (with Sarah, Alessandro, and Nicola) but, for now, the solutions remain separate. Customers of each company can easily access the benefits of both platforms from both a sales and technical perspective.” It will be interesting to see if we see some kind of integration of solutions down the road.

The integration of the two companies under Valsoft’s Managed Print Vertical and new North American leadership make a lot of sense given the companies’ common ownership and the fact that in July 2023 MPS Monitor severed its agreement with Oberon Americas to distribute the MPS Monitor solution in North America. That breakup has proven to be a difficult one, resulting in litigation in Italy that has since been resolved in MPS Monitor’s favor and a newer lawsuit that MPS Monitor filed against Oberon Americas in the United States (see “MPS Monitor and Valsoft Sue Oberon Americas”). While the litigation is largely about what went wrong in the past, in this latest announcement, Valsoft, MPS Monitor, and Nexera are looking forward. MPS Monitor and Nexera have seized upon the strategy of joining forces to move ahead, grow the business, and serve the North American market.