While it hasn’t been the barrage of announcements we’ve seen in the past, the office dealer space continues to reveal the year-end deals that were consummated toward the end of 2023. UBEO Business Services made a big splash earlier this month with its acquisition of Bay Copy—both Elite Dealers. This week, we have a pair of partnerships to get the M&A machine cranking.
York, Pennsylvania-based Doceo obtained Document Essentials of Baltimore. Much farther west, Advanced Business Methods added Central Business Systems in a union of North Dakota firms. The details:
Doceo, a leader in business technology services throughout the MidAtlantic Region, successfully completed the acquisition of Document Essentials, a technology reseller and service company founded in 1992 by Brian McMearty. Document Essentials has developed an impressive reputation over its 32-year history.
While providing office technologies to over 1,000 commercial and nonprofit customers, Document Essentials has gained a commendable reputation for reliable, responsive service. Its unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction and stellar track record for growth have made it an integral part of the local business community.
The entire Document Essentials team will remain with the company under Doceo’s care and guidance. Document Essentials will continue to operate from its present location at 2605 Lord Baltimore Drive in Baltimore.
Doceo CEO John Lewis shared his enthusiasm for this latest expansion into the Baltimore market, stating, “We are delighted to welcome Document Essentials into the Doceo family. Their long-standing reputation for impeccable service is a perfect fit for Doceo’s service first culture. This acquisition further strengthens our presence in the greater Baltimore Market. It’s a market filled with opportunity given the recent ownership changes at Advance Business Systems and Centric.”
This Document Essentials acquisition is Doceo’s fourth purchase south of the Mason Dixon line. Doceo previously acquired technology resellers in Chantilly, VA (2020), Bel Air, MD (2022), and Frederick, MD (2022).
Advanced Business Methods-Central Business Systems
Advanced Business Methods (ABM), a North Dakota office products and solutions company headquartered in West Fargo, North Dakota, has acquired Central Business Systems, a Jamestown, North Dakota-based office equipment and document solutions provider since 1975. The move to acquire CBSI first started in the fall of 2023.
“We are excited to be partnering with such a great hometown organization”, said Jeff Ellingson, president of ABM. “Dernel and Tracy have formed a great organization with a great staff, and we hope to continue that same path by providing exceptional sales, service, and products that all the CBSI customers have become accustomed to. We are thrilled that all the CBSI employees are becoming owners of the company through our ESOP, which will help continue the local hometown feel that is a standard with CBSI.”
The acquisition of CBSI fits into ABM’s mission and growth strategy. With the addition of CBSI, ABM will be able to add a central North Dakota location. ABM will expand its offerings to include document and electronic hardware destruction, as well as becoming an official Kyocera dealer in some of its markets.
According to Dernel Denning, the president of Central Business Systems Inc., “At CBSI we take pride in our customer care. Joining the ABM team, we know that our customers will continue to have excellent service and support. We are very excited to continue providing service to our community and to be a part of an employee-owned business.”
###
About Advanced Business Methods
Advanced Business Methods (ABM), a North Dakota Company, has been in the office machines business for over 52 years representing its product lines from Canon, Ricoh/Savin, Lexmark, and HP. ABM currently has additional offices in Bismarck, Grand Forks, Dickinson, and Minot; and resident technicians located in Williston, Devils Lake, Wahpeton, and Bemidji, Minnesota.
ABM is a 100% employee-owned company (ESOP). Currently, there are 85+ owners/employees on staff providing services and support. ABM owns and operates its own leasing company, thus not having the lease contract sold through a third party. ABM services all of North Dakota, Northern South Dakota, as well as Eastern Montana and Western Minnesota. This number does not reflect the hundreds more supported throughout the United States with their many National Account customers.
About Doceo
Doceo currently operates in 5 states, and the District of Columbia, with a network of 13 sales and service locations.
