Acquisition

RM PLC
09 June 2006


                                                                 9th June 2006                                

  RM to acquire Australian education management software provider CAZ Software  

RM plc announces that it is to acquire CAZ Software, a leading provider of
education management software to schools and government education departments in
Australia, for a maximum consideration of A$3.0m (£1.2m).

Following the acquisition CAZ Software will become part of RM Asia-Pacific Pty
Ltd., an existing RM Group company based in Perth, Western Australia. The
majority of CAZ Software's staff will join RM Asia-Pacific and will continue to
support and develop Maze (CAZ Software's existing product range).

RM Asia-Pacific already has a strong position providing a range of education
management systems to 900 school customers under two state-wide contracts. With
the addition of CAZ Software's Maze product and its customer base of 2,600
schools, RM will become the clear leader in the Australian education management
software market. RM's intention is to optimise the development of both product
ranges as part of a broader education enterprise system.

CAZ Software's turnover in the year to 30 June 2005 was A$4.5m (£1.8m), with an
operating profit of A$0.5m (£0.2m). RM will pay an estimated initial
consideration of A$2.5m (£1.0m) and a further consideration of A$0.5m (£0.2m)
after 12 months. In addition, RM will assume estimated net debt of A$0.8m
(£0.3m)

Commenting on the acquisition, Tim Pearson, CEO of RM, said:

'Over recent months we've been exploring a number of opportunities for the
development of our education management software business. As well as this
expansion in Australia, we've also launched IntegrisG2, an innovative new
generation of Web-based school management information systems.

'CAZ Software shares RM's commitment to providing innovative technology that
helps teachers to teach and learners to learn. CAZ will make a great addition to
the RM Group, providing us with significant scale in the Australian education
management software market - the combination of products, customers and
geographical coverage makes us the clear market leader.'

 

                                    - Ends -                                    

 
For further information, please contact:
Mike Greig/Phil Hemmings, RM plc          08709 200200                  
Fiona Laffan/Mark Antelme, Brunswick      020 7404 5959                 

 
Notes to Editors:

The RM Group is a leading provider of educational products and services to
schools, colleges and universities, local government and central government
education departments and agencies. Founded in 1973, RM works closely with
educationalists to use new products, processes and technology to improve
teaching and learning and is recognised as a leading innovator in the
educational information and communications technology (ICT) arena.

RM, through its business School Management Solutions, provides education
management software products to 4,000 schools in the UK. School Management
Solutions has recently launched IntegrisG2, a Web-based school management
product which uses a centrally managed and hosted database to remove the
requirement for individual schools to maintain and support their own database
server.

RM Asia-Pacific was established in 1999 to sell and support RM's Integris range
of education management software products in Australia and New Zealand. It also
supplies RM Easiteach and Textease educational software in the Asia Pacific
region through a national dealer network. 

CAZ Software is the trading name of CAZ Unit Trust, for which Karmet Pty Ltd is
the sole trustee. RM will acquire all of the units of CAZ Unit Trust and all the
shares of Karmet Pty Ltd.

CAZ Software employs 30 people and is based in Perth, Western Australia. It was
founded 28 years ago as a software development company providing school
timetabling products. Its flagship product is Maze, an innovative software
package providing student record, academic reporting, timetabling, development
planning and financial and payroll systems for schools. As well as schools and
education departments in Australia, CAZ Software in Australia also has important
customers in China, Singapore and other Asia Pacific countries. 



                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange