IMS Marketing, an Irish B2B marketing services agency, has been acquired by North Carolina-headquartered advertising company Locomotive. The deal means IMS Marketing, which is based in Oranmore, Co Galway, will combine its resources with the US company as it expands its reach into Europe.
IMS Marketing will retain its name, but it will be known as a Locomotive agency. The company plans to recruit 20 new staff over the next two years, with roles to be based anywhere on the island of Ireland. The positions will be in digital marketing and strategic brand communications. Currently, its website is advertising for a digital designer, a digital account manager and a WordPress web developer, among other roles.
Since it was founded in 2007, IMS Marketing has worked with many businesses as they expand into new locations. It also has partnerships with a number of Government agencies such as Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland. Its clients will benefit from Locomotive’s US contacts, while Locomotive plans to leverage IMS Marketing’s contacts to grow its business in Ireland and Europe.
Marty Martin, CEO of Locomotive Agency, said his team was “immediately impressed by the IMS client base and their success in helping businesses to expand internationally. IMS brings an enhanced service offering to the Locomotive Agency that will position our redefined company as a truly international, full-service digital agency with global reach.”
Kevin Moran, founder and managing director of IMS Marketing, called the deal an exciting partnership for both agencies’ clients and employees, saying, “it has always been our ambition to grow our business internationally and the acquisition by Locomotive accelerates the opportunity to offer an integrated range of strategic marketing and digital services in both the US and European markets. I don’t believe that any of this would have been possible without the remarkable, world-class team that we have built here in IMS. Nearly four years ago, the world was forced to go entirely online and we have not looked back since that.”
“We are a flexible employer that respects and celebrates the interests and commitments that our people have outside of work. In doing so, we have positioned ourselves as a happy, dynamic workforce with a bright, inspiring future and I look forward to realising the true potential and growth opportunities this move brings for our team and company at large.”
Source: Silicon Republic
