Acquisitions in Massachusetts in 2012

ProMach, a provider of integrated packaging and processing solutions, has acquired KLEENLine Corporation, a Newburyport, Massachusetts-based designer and manufacturer of sanitary product handling equipment, robotics, vision systems, and systems engineering services. KLEENLine's team — including founder Jim Laverdiere — will remain with ProMach and operate out of the Newburyport facility as part of ProMach's Material Handling Business Unit to expand ProMach's sanitary production and material-handling capabilities.

Stratus Technologies (through its Bermuda holding and U.S. subsidiary) acquired the assets and intellectual property of Marathon Technologies, including the Marathon everRun product line. The deal expands Stratus's software-based application-availability and fault-tolerance capabilities, broadens its partner ecosystem (including Citrix), and transfers Marathon employees in the U.S., U.K. and Japan to Stratus employment.

General Dynamics has executed a definitive agreement to acquire Fidelis Security Systems to enhance its cyber security solutions and incident response capabilities. The cash value was not disclosed; Fidelis employs approximately 70 people at locations in Waltham, Massachusetts and Bethesda, Maryland and will become part of General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems.

IHS Inc. acquired Invention Machine for approximately $40 million. The Boston-based provider of the Goldfire semantic search and decision-engine software will be integrated into IHS’s Product Design business to enhance knowledge management and accelerate engineering and product innovation.

Geomagic completed the acquisition of Sensable Technologies, Inc.'s 3D design and haptics businesses, bringing Sensable's FreeForm/ClayTools software and Phantom haptic device technology into Geomagic's product portfolio. The deal expands Geomagic's capabilities for tactile (haptic) input and voxel-based modeling to complement its existing 3D scan-to-design and inspection software, while Sensable's dental products were excluded from the sale.

Kenexa entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire OutStart, a privately held Boston-based provider of SaaS e-learning solutions, to expand Kenexa's talent management suite with learning management, mobile and social learning capabilities. The transaction is expected to close subject to customary conditions and stockholder consent and will be funded from Kenexa's existing cash balance.

Constant Contact, Inc. acquired Boston-based CardStar, Inc., a mobile loyalty platform with over two million users, to expand its mobile, loyalty, and consumer capabilities for small-business marketing. CardStar's employees, including founders Andy Miller and Danny Espinoza, joined Constant Contact; financial terms were not disclosed.