LOUGHBOROUGH, England: The Access Group, a leading provider of business management software to mid-market organisations in the UK, Ireland, the US and Asia Pacific, has entered into an agreement to acquire Lightyear, a leading provider of finance automation solutions.

This latest acquisition will extend the Group’s offering in ERP software globally and transform the purchasing and AP customer experience.

The Access ERP division serves small, growing and medium to large businesses, with tailored solutions in various industry verticals, including construction, supply chain, waste management, professional services and facilities management. Access ERP software enables customers to streamline their operations, allowing data to be shared seamlessly across different business operating systems.

The introduction of Lightyear will deliver an end-to-end integrated solution for customers that handles the spending needs of these businesses, with a focus on efficiency, control and visibility. Lightyear is the latest in the Access ERP growing portfolio.

Founded in 2017, Lightyear has grown rapidly across APAC, EMEA and North America. Lightyear’s all-in-one suite of finance automation solutions automates critical financial processes across accounts payable, purchasing and expenses for SMEs and mid-market businesses. By automating these manual, time-consuming and error-prone tasks, Lightyear helps customers focus on value-adding initiatives to accelerate their growth and reduce costs.

Claire Carter, managing director of Access ERP, commented: “Lightyear is a great fit for our business. The proven success and innovation of the Lightyear team excite us and show huge potential for the future of this world-class product in conjunction with the other solutions we provide today. Following completion of regulatory reviews, we will be delighted to welcome Lightyear into our Access ERP eco-system.”

Chris Gregg, Lightyear CEO, commented: “Joining the Access Group is a tremendous milestone for our team and our customers. Together we can innovate faster and deliver more benefit to our mutual customers. I have been thoroughly impressed with their customer focus, ambition and culture. We are excited to be joining their mission.”

Claire Carter summarised, “This latest acquisition supports our growth strategy and focuses on delivering solutions that meet the needs of our expanding international customer base. We look forward to welcoming Lightyear customers, partners and employees into The Access Group.”