LONDON, March 7 /PRNewswire/ --

- Acquisition Will Strengthen ERP Vendor's Position in Key Vertical Markets

Solarsoft Business Systems announced today that the board of Chelford Group plc ("Chelford") has agreed to recommend an offer by Solarsoft Acquisition Limited ("Solarsoft") to acquire Chelford.

Chelford, a company admitted to trading on AIM (a market operated by the London Stock Exchange), provides specialist solutions in the areas of supply chain management, ERP, manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, asset tracking and financials. Since admission to AIM in 2000, Chelford has become a leading provider of enterprise solutions based upon its own intellectual property SAP, Microsoft and CODA software products.

Commenting on the offer, Shawn McMorran, Chief Executive of Solarsoft Business Systems said: "Chelford is an excellent fit with Solarsoft Business Systems, and our overall strategy to build significant value by acquiring small to medium-sized, complementary ERP software companies. Solarsoft Business Systems will, with this acquisition, expand the scale of its operations, the range of its product offering and vertical market expertise. Chelford's employees and customers will benefit from being part of a much larger organisation."

"We believe that it is in the best interest of the Chelford Group to combine with an external partner to support our growth and potential in a consolidating market. A combination with Solarsoft Business Systems will provide additional financial and other resources to support the ongoing development of the Chelford Group for the benefit of customers, employees and suppliers," said William Birkett, the Chairman of Chelford.

Shawn McMorran added: "Solarsoft Business Systems has an established position in discrete manufacturing systems and Chelford's strengths in fast-moving process industries are complementary to that. Bringing Chelford's product businesses into Solarsoft Business Systems will allow us to accelerate the alignment of our business increasingly along industry vertical lines. Chelford's SAP Solutions division will operate independently as a distinct division within Solarsoft Business Systems in order to preserve the value already created for the Chelford brand in this activity."

About Solarsoft Business Systems

Solarsoft Business Systems provides modern enterprise software and IT services to manufacturers, distributors and wholesale businesses in North America, Europe and Asia. The company has grown organically and through acquisition since 1986 and employs nearly 350 people providing local support across 16 time zones. Over 1,700 companies rely on Solarsoft to bring clarity and efficiency to their daily operations. Solarsoft Acquisition Limited is a new company formed at the direction of Marlin Equity Partners. Solarsoft Business Systems is backed by Marlin Equity Partners, an independent investment firm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Solarsoft Business Systems Susan Hilliar T: +44(0)8447-700-900 ext. 5519 Chelford Group plc Trevor C. Lewis, Chief Executive T: +44(0)1256-685-400 Press Contact: Will Gardiner itpr T: +44(0)1932-578800 willg@itpr.co.uk

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Solarsoft Business Systems, Susan Hilliar, T: +44(0)8447-700-900 ext. 5519, Chelford Group plc, Trevor C. Lewis, Chief Executive, T: +44(0)1256-685-400, Press Contact: Will Gardiner, itpr, T: +44(0)1932-578800, willg@itpr.co.uk