Aircraft manufacturer Boeing said yesterday that it plans to acquire Tapestry Solutions, which offers services and software systems that improve the tracking and distribution of equipment, spare parts and personnel for the US Department of Defense and other agencies.

Tapestry Solutions' tools, such as the Joint Distribution Logistics Model and Battle Command Support Sustainment System, are US Army standards that increase asset visibility, optimize distribution and enable dynamic logistics planning.

Terms of the cash transaction were not disclosed.

Once acquired, Tapestry Solutions will operate within St. Louis-based Integrated Defense Systems' Global Services & Support. Boeing said the acquisition would speed growth of the company's service and support business.

Founded in 1993, Tapestry Solutions has approximately 350 employees with the majority located in San Diego, where the company has its headquarters. About 150 employees are stationed with customers in Iraq and at other locations worldwide.

Boeing officials said they expected to complete the acquisition by the end of October after the necessary regulatory approvals. They said it would not affect Boeing's financial guidance.

A unit of Chicago-based Boeing Co, Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions. Headquartered in St. Louis, IDS is a $32.4 billion business with 71,000 employees worldwide.

"Boeing has a great opportunity to address an expanding market where we can bring together our proven large-scale integration capabilities with Tapestry Solutions' unique logistics management, decision support systems, and cutting-edge modeling and simulation technologies," IDS President and CEO Jim Albaugh said. "It's all about meeting our customers' enduring needs for heightened readiness and supply-chain situational awareness."

Dennis Muilenburg, president of IDS Global Services & Support, added, "Combining Tapestry Solutions' capabilities with Boeing's expertise in supply chain management and integration, we are positioned to help our customer solve real-world problems and drive a transformation in distribution processes.''

"Tapestry Solutions is thrilled to be working with Boeing. Boeing has a vision for the future of logistics command and control that is right in line with our experience supporting customers worldwide," said Galen Aswegan, president and CEO of Tapestry Solutions.

"Tapestry Solutions' products and expertise in real-time monitoring, training and support of world-wide distribution channels will benefit from Boeing's large-scale commercial and military operations and product offerings."