ASG acquires PhotoLynx, will work with ImageQuix

ASG, the Walnut Creek, Calif.-based SaaS company, announced it has acquired PhotoLynx, a leading provider of workflow, image and studio management software for the high-volume photography market. Terms weren’t disclosed. ASG, which “buys, builds and operates” software-as-a-service (SaaS) in niche verticals, purchased ImageQuix, a provider of end-to-end workflow management and eCommerce solutions for photographers, in November 2018. ASG has more than 20 companies in its portfolio.

“We are excited about the continued momentum in the photography software space and the opportunity to bring together two industry-leading solutions,” said Mark Strauch, co-founder and chairman of ASG. “Combining the deep experience of PhotoLynx and the e-commerce expertise of ImageQuix, will better enable the collective team to meet the evolving needs of its customers with leading products and customer support.”

The two companies will continue to operate separately. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Ramona, CA, PhotoLynx has grown from a few local customers to now serving more than 500 customers and more than 9,000 users across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia, according to the company announcement. Tim McCain, the current CEO of PhotoLynx, will remain active in both businesses as Chief Revenue Officer. Alex Kovacevic, CEO of ImageQuix, will oversee both businesses.

“Bringing ImageQuix and PhotoLynx together is a fantastic combination enabling both brands to build on each other’s strengths,” said McCain in a statement. “We’re excited to learn from and partner with the ImageQuix team to continue serving our customers.”

In an exclusive interview with the Dead Pixels Society, Kovacevic says the combination of the two companies will be a benefit to the industry due to the complementary nature of their businesses.

In the year I’ve been with ImageQuix, it became obvious what a well-respected company PhotoLynx is in industry,” he says. “The combination of ImageQuix and PhotoLynx made a lot of sense. I met  Tim at SPAC this year and we hit it off. At that stage, we were merely looking at a deeper collaboration between ImageQuix and PhotoLynx. As the relationship developed, the conversation revolved around an acquisition. The synergy between the two companies is awesome.

“The strength of ImageQuix is the e-commerce side and the resources we can bring to bear,” he added. “With PhotoLynx, it’s their industry knowledge, experience in the marketplace, and customer service and support. It’s second to none. There’s also a deep understanding of volume photography. Put all that together, you end up with a phenomenal combination.”

Kovacevic says it will be business as usual for both PhotoLynx and ImageQuix for the near future, with the all-important fall shooting season coming up.

Kovacevic is a relative newcomer to the photo industry, spending nearly a decade in the toy industry before coming to the United States for business school. He sees a lot of similarities between the two industries, in how they can deliver value for families. This makes them attractive businesses for investment.

“(Volume photography) is a great industry,” he explains. “I worked for 10 years in the toy industry; it’s remarkably recession-proof because the last thing parents will cut back on is presents for their kids. It’s a stable and resilient industry. Volume photography has a lot of the same forces at play. It’s an emotional purchase and parents want to memorialize and capture these important moments in their kids’ lives. The actual product the industry sells in meaningful and important and has the potential for continued success over the long term. The services provided by volume photographers are a meaningful one to a lot of people, and that means good business.”