Dang Tran Phuong (FPT Americas)
Vietnam-based IT services provider FPT Software has taken a stake in US-based IT and technical services provider Intertec International, a move that will see it substantially increase its presence and activity in the North American market.
Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Intertec International has offices across the US and the UK and claims nearshore technology centres in Central and South America.
Intertec claims to have been providing nearshore IT solutions since 2003. Today, the company offers a remote-capable workforce of more than 350 team members, along with access to secure office facilities, at centralised locations in San Jose, Costa Rica and Medellin, Colombia.
It is hoped that FPT Software’s strategic investment in Intertec will give it – and its North America subsidiary, FPT USA Corp., in particular – secure access to Intertec’s nearshore technology delivery centres in Costa Rica and Colombia.
FPT Software also hopes to tap into Intertec’s operational experience in the Latin America (LATAM) market more broadly.
At the same time, the deal is expected to see Intertec leverage FPT Software's resources, including its digital products and services, along with its network of delivery centres worldwide, to take on larger projects from a global approach.
FPT Software claims the investment will help it to address its customers’ increasing demand for agile software engineering while also bridging the time zone differences between its technical operatives and its customers.
“This deal represents a strong commitment to our customers,” said FPT Americas CEO Dang Tran Phuong. “Though the US is our focused market, investing in nearby destinations like Costa Rica and Colombia offers up to 30 per cent cost savings while still ensuring time-zone, language and cultural alignment. We will also be gaining access to a highly skilled IT workforce.
“Costa Rica and Colombia are attractive service hubs and renowned outsourcing destinations in the LATAM region, so I believe there are huge potentials for us to tap into.
“With the combination of the region’s geographical advantages, business-friendly government policies, our digital solutions and both companies’ technical know-how, we aim to assist more customers at an accelerated speed while saving costs,” he added.
The companies have had a history together prior to striking the new deal. Intertec International CEO Rickard Hedeby noted that his team has known FPT Software, including its people and management, for quite some time, with the two having worked together on a number of joint engagements.
“The FPT Software investment will help us accelerate our growth and build out our infrastructure, technical capabilities and proprietary tools,” he said. “We’re excited to be aligned with an organisation that shares our ideals of providing exceptional customer value and proactive engagement.”
FPT Software said its investment in Intertec aligns with its strategy to optimise its mix of offshore, nearshore and onsite delivery models to support customers around the clock.
Prior to the move, FPT Software had established 22 development centres, spanning the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, to improve its responsiveness.
Earlier this year, FPT Software turned its gaze on the Japanese market, with the company in April announcing it was tapping into the growing demand for cyber security solutions and services in Japan thanks to a partnership with Japan-based conglomerate Mitsui & Co.
In early July, the Vietnamese company deepened its partnership with Sitecore, striking a deal designed to see it promote the adoption of the software vendor’s digital marketing solutions to a wider range of businesses, with a particular focus on the Japanese market.
