GS1 New Zealand Inc will acquire Images in Space Ltd, a leading supplier of digital photography and digital image management services to consumer products companies in New Zealand.
GS1 Chief Executive Dr Peter Stevens says bringing Images in Space into GS1 makes great sense as both strive to support businesses’ growing need for high quality product data and high quality digital images. Dr Stevens says the acquisition has substantial synergy value that will be passed on to GS1 members and Images in Space customers.
“The exchange of high quality product data between trading partners is now critical for reliable and efficient commerce,” he says. “In today’s increasingly ‘omni-channel’ digital marketplace, it is becoming critical also to complement product data with high-quality photography and other digital media assets.”
Dr Stevens says Images in Space will enhance GS1 New Zealand’s existing capabilities, and enable members and other businesses to streamline their provision of high quality master data to trading partners through the multi-sector National Product Catalogue (see below).
Images in Space customers will continue to receive their current Fetch, iBank, MiBank and other services, these being operated in parallel with GS1’s SmartMedia service.
Dr Stevens says GS1 will also work with New Zealand’s consumer products manufacturers, distributors and retailers on the design of new product data and image services that are optimal for their needs.
Images in Space former owner and CEO Barry Pyle will join GS1 as General Manager Services, to ensure the continuity of service to Images in Space customers and to help develop new services for a growing base of business customers.
All current employees of Images in Space will also join GS1.
Pyle says he has always been a strong supporter of GS1 standards. “It’s great to be joining, with my team, the GS1 family. The acquisition provides a wonderful opportunity to combine the strengths of Images in Space and GS1 and improve our service offerings for the benefit of everyone and meet the omni-channel challenge,” he says.
Note: The National Product Catalogue is a service of GS1 New Zealand and GS1 Australia for enabling the exchange of product details, pricing, and other trade- and marketing-related information between suppliers and retailers.
Inquiries to GS1 New Zealand: Chief Executive Peter Stevens, tel +64 4 494 1060, peter.stevens@gs1nz.org, or Chief Operating Officer Richard Manaton, tel +64 9 820 2746, richard.manaton@gs1nz.org
