Indian ARM Firm Acquires American ARM/BPO/Healthcare Services Outsourcer

Sign o’ the times?  How about trying to explain exactly what two “BPO” companies that are involved in a $148 million merger do for a living.

On one side you’ve got HOV Services – a Pune, India-based BPO firm that focuses primarily on accounts receivable management services.  In the other corner is LASON – a Troy, Michigan-based provider of outsourced document management services including collection letter management, loan processing, electronic medical record management, and accounts receivable management on the accounting level.  Rather than duke it out in the middle of the ring, these two have decided to team up and conquer the BPO world.

HOV announced today that the board of LASON has agreed to a merger that would make LASON a wholly-owned subsidiary of HOV.  The transaction is valued at about $148 million.

Avoiding the word “synergy”, LASON’s CEO said that the deal was a good for his firm because of HOV’s foothold in the ARM space. “We are very excited about this merger and look forward to our partnership with HOVS. Together, we will be able to deliver a more comprehensive and complete suite of outsourced solutions in our key markets that include finance administration, financial services, healthcare and publishing. In particular, the HOVS outsourced solutions in Accounts Receivables management will be of immediate interest to our established client base,” commented Ronald D. Risher.

When the merger is settled, the companies expect the newly-formed BPO giant to be quite formidable: 11,000 employees globally and anticipated yearly revenues north of $200 million.