Brandt ?marriage of convenience? suits Pinstripe

Financial Windows applications developer Pinstripe Software has changed ownership after merging its operation with database supplier Brandt Holdings.

As a result of the merger, Pinstripe will be responsible for marketing all Brandt vertical products, with the exception of its Ministry of Defence contract. It will remain based in Berkhamsted and is expected to double the size of its telesales department over the next few weeks. Four of Pinstripe?s financial sales staff have already transferred from Brandt to Pinstripe, with more moves expected soon.

Bob Childs, MD at Pinstripe, and Frank Curtis, Pinstripe chairman, will gain seats on Brandt?s board.

Pinstripe marketing manager Alan Folkard said: ?Pinstripe will continue to develop software and is expanding in terms of both people and products.?

He described the deal as a ?marriage of convenience? between Brandt?s higher level applications and Pinstripe?s strength at the lower end of the market and its long relationship with Microsoft, but would not disclose financial details.

Folkard said there were no areas of duplication between the two firms and he was looking forward to working within a #6 million organisation. Last year Pinstripe generated sales of less than #1 million.

Both companies? products are due to be relaunched in September, at the same time as the launch of a range of Windows vertical applications.