Oracle To Add Configurator To Sales Automation Quiver

Acquisitions continue to be the name of the game being played by enterprise software companies as they continue to add to the depth and functionality of their applications. In one of the latest such deals, Oracle Corp. plans to beef up its front-office software applications through its Dec. 16 acquisition of Concentra Corp., a maker of sales configuration systems. Oracle will use Concentra's configurator in both its front office and manufacturing applications. To be called Oracle SellingPoint, the system will be offered as a standalone mobile product integrated to the company's front-office electronic commerce and supply-chain manufacturing software. The idea is to enable anyone, including customers, to tailor their own orders via the Web, assembling the products and obtaining price quotes in the process. "Enabling unassisted selling for even the most complex products is vital for leading manufacturers and distributors," says Ron Wohl, senior vice president of applications development at Oracle in Redwood Shores, Calif. "Combining this powerful configurator, integrated front office, and flow manufacturing will fulfill our vision for efficient mass customization." Along with the configurator product line, the $43 million deal offers Oracle access to Concentra's customer base, which includes Airbus Industrie, Cummins Engine, Dayco, Elsag Bailey, Fujitsu, Nokia, Teradyne, and many others.