PLDT affiliate buys educational publishing firm

The largest Philippine-owned business process outsourcing (BPO) firm, SPI Global Holdings Inc., has bought a leading publisher of educational materials, positioning the company to take advantage of the burgeoning opportunities in the United States.

In a statement, SPI Global, a subsidiary of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), said it had acquired Tighe Publishing Services, a full-service educational development house in the American K-12 educational marketplace.

“Tighe’s editorial, design, and content development capabilities will complement Laserwords’ strength in production with conversion, digital and technology services for educational publishers,” said Michael O’Brien, executive vice president of SPI Global’s unit Laserwords, the company that bought Tighe.

O’Brien added that before the acquisition, Laserwords had established itself with school publishers.

However, Laserwords needed an experienced editorial and design team to compete for major publishing projects. The acquisition of Tighe fills that gap, with Laserwords now being positioned to compete for larger educational programs, O’Brien said.

The acquisition helps SPI Global expand its content outsourcing business, adding to its existing operations that focus mainly on healthcare solutions and other knowledge-based BPO services.

“The acquisition of Tighe allows Laserwords to become a leading supplier in the educational publishing arena,” he said. “Clients of both companies see this acquisition as a welcome development for the future of their businesses.”

In a separate statement, Tighe president Suzanne Tighe said the firm recognized Laserwords’ vast experience in digital content development, offshore and conversion services, and services for mobile content and digital services.

“Laserwords’ areas of expertise constitute advantages for Tighe because they complement our strengths in content development and design,” she said.

SPI Global is a leading globally recognized, full-service BPO provider with 30 offices and facilities around the world, including the US, Netherlands, Philippines, India, Vietnam and Australia. It has more than 18,000 employees delivering a wide range of solutions in customer relationship management, content and healthcare.