GoDaddy to acquire web services provider Host Europe Group

GoDaddy announced Tuesday it will acquire web services provider Host Europe Group for $1.8 billion, claiming the domain registrar will become market leader in Europe for providing cloud services to small businesses.

The deal is expected to close during the second quarter of 2017.

HEG is the largest privately-owned web services provider in Europe, with 1.7 million customers. The move is part of larger push by GoDaddy to expand internationally. The company has penetrated 56 global markets over the past four years, says GoDaddy CEO Blake Irving.

"By joining forces with HEG, we accelerate our expansion into Europe with the delivery of a broader range of cloud-based products, built on a single global technology platform, and supported by unparalleled customer care to help small businesses and web designers succeed online," said Irving in a statement.

GoDaddy says it will integrate most of HEG's business, but will explore a sale of its PlusServer hosting unit.

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