Shift4 acquires majority stake in German POS company

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Shift4, an integrated payments and commerce technology company, has acquired a majority stake in Vectron Systems AG, one of the largest European suppliers of point-of-sale (POS) systems to the restaurant and hospitality verticals.  

Based in Germany, Vectron has about 65,000 POS locations across Europe, representing about $25 billion in volume opportunity with minimal payment monetization today.  

Allentown-based Shift4 said in a release it is expected to acquire additional ownership of Vectron through a public tender offer that is expected to conclude within the next month, with a de-listing and formal integration process to occur shortly thereafter. 

The acquisition is expected to provide Shift4 with an expansive customer footprint across Europe and a distribution network of about 300 POS resellers, the company said.  

As a result of the acquisition, Shift4 said it believes it will be able to add its integrated payment services to current Vectron customers and products, while empowering the sales force with a compelling all-in-one POS and payments solution unrivaled in Europe. 

“Shift4 was at the forefront of the convergence between software and payments in the restaurant and hospitality verticals in the US. We see an incredible amount of demand for a similar all-in-one solution across Europe,” Shift4 CEO Jared Isaacman said in a statement.  

“With our integrated payments and SkyTab offering, we believe we have the best solution at the right price point,” Isaacman said. “Vectron will provide valuable local expertise, infrastructure, and the distribution necessary to meet the demand. This acquisition is right out of the Shift4 playbook – enabling us to unlock synergies, expand our distribution, and monetize payments for a large existing install base.” 

In addition to the acquisition of Vectron, Shift4 has also completed its previously announced acquisition of Revel Systems, which has over 18,000 merchant locations across the United States and internationally which Shift4 estimates represents a more than $17 billion payment opportunity.  

Revel also has a direct sales and dealer distribution network which Shift4 said it believes can be leveraged to accelerate SkyTab distribution both domestically and abroad.