Advanced Imaging acquires Pinnacle

SOUTH BEND, Jan 14, 2013 (South Bend Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The two local companies were formed a year apart.

Now, Advanced Imaging Solutions Inc., founded in 1995 and headquartered in South Bend, has purchased Pinnacle of Indiana, founded in 1996 and based in Mishawaka.

It all started back in March 2012, when Steve Klatt, president and chief executive officer at Advanced Imaging, contacted Craig Sroda, his counterpart at Pinnacle. He wanted to know if there was a potential for the two companies to share leads and provide assistance for one another.

What they found is that their companies overlapped some and had similar cultures. Talks turned to combining the businesses and that became official Jan. 1, Klatt said.

Pinnacle offers business technology solutions as a Microsoft-certified partner, handling everything from networking and infrastructure to website design and client management systems.

"That makes us capable of supplying almost everything a business would need from an IT perspective," said Butch Whitmire, director of marketing for Pinnacle.

Meanwhile, Advanced Imaging, which has locations in South Bend; Merrillville, Ind.; Fort Wayne and Grand Rapids, offers managed print services, office imaging equipment and technology services. It has integrated printers and copiers into the computer networks.

Together, the companies will serve more than 3,000 customers concentrated in northern Indiana and central and south Michigan.

"It's a match made in heaven," Klatt said. "It gives us a lot more resources as far as both companies go." He explained that Advanced Imaging had planned to expand its services before the talks began. The information technology business, he said, is no longer just about selling equipment to a company. Instead, it's about helping companies to integrate their hardware and software and providing technology solutions for clients.

This isn't the company's first acquisition either. In March 2012, Advanced Imaging acquired Custom Computer Services in Granger. That acquisition included about nine employees. And Advanced Imaging plans to continue to expand in the future.

Pinnacle will operate as a division of Advanced Imaging, and its name will reflect its new ownership: Pinnacle -- An Advanced Imaging Solutions Company. Sroda will remain as part of the executive management team.

During the transition, Pinnacle will continue to offer all its products and its 50 management, support and engineering employees will continue to operate out of the company's current locations in Indianapolis and at 4100 Edison Lakes Parkway in Mishawaka.

This brings Advanced Imaging's total employees to about 120, the majority of whom are located in the Michiana area.

"We're excited," said Whitmire, about the change.

"There's going to be a great deal of synergy between our two companies." Staff writer Alice Culp: aculp@sbtinfo.com 574-235-6343 ___ (c)2013 the South Bend Tribune (South Bend, Ind.) Visit the South Bend Tribune (South Bend, Ind.) at www.southbendtribune.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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