Smallpdf Acquires PDF Tools

Zurich-based document and contract management software platform, Smallpdf, has acquired PDF Tools, a Swiss-owned global provider of PDF manipulation technology for a cash consideration of $30 million.

‘We’re very proud and excited to announce this milestone in Smallpdf’s journey. PDF Tools has been a superb partner of ours over the years. Their market-leading document rendering, manipulation, and conversion solutions have been the backbone of Smallpdf’s most used products,’ says Dennis Just, CEO of Smallpdf.

What Does This Mean For Smallpdf?

Smallpdf started out as a single compression tool in 2013, and now we’ve expanded to a suite of 20+ PDF tools used by over 50 million users a month. With offices in Zurich and Belgrade and a staff of over 90 employees, Smallpdf has been experiencing a period of hyper-growth and this acquisition will solidify our standing as a leader in the global document management market.

Who Are PDF Tools?

Founded by renowned expert Dr. Hans Bärfuss in 2002, PDF Tools is a best-in-class document processing technology provider. We’ve worked with them for many years, using their premium document processing capabilities, especially compression, to bring the best PDF tools to our users. PDF Tools’ Swiss engineering standards make them the trusted choice for over 6,000 clients around the world, including Smallpdf, Lufthansa, UBS, and Swiss Life, among others.

‘This is the next big step for PDF Tools and we are confident that it will bring more value to our clients and employees.’ Hans Bärfuss, Founder and CEO of PDF Tools.

A Logical Next Step

PDF Tools has been a powerful partner for Smallpdf over the years and their technology is an essential building block of some of our core tools. Smallpdf’s strong positive cash flow generation, combined with both companies’ shared history, values, and vision, makes this transition the logical next step for both parties. PDF Tools’ solutions are the perfect complement to Smallpdf’s vision, allowing us to offer the ultimate document management solution to our joint clients and users.

‘I will be transitioning to an advisory role and I’m happy to see that PDF Tools will be safe in the hands of another Swiss success story with similar values to ours. As both companies believe in quality products delivered through Swiss excellence, we expect a smooth transition and compatibility in terms of work ethic and culture fit with Smallpdf.’ Hans Bärfuss, Founder and CEO of PDF Tools.

What’s Next?

We believe this partnership will enhance our existing offering and will allow us to expand into new geographical territories, product offerings, and market segments, as well as strengthen our opportunities at vertical integration.

‘Joining forces will help us accelerate our product roadmap to make our easy-to-use document management software solutions more powerful and deliver even more value to our current and future customers,’ says Dennis Just, CEO of Smallpdf.

Smallpdf is actively on the lookout for amazing talent to grow its teams in Zurich, Belgrade, and Barcelona to help us tackle these new challenges. The company has recently adopted a hybrid working model to suit everyone and offers other great benefits to ensure employee fulfillment and happiness.

Check out our vacancies and join our team!