Jacksonville-based Web.com Group Inc. (Web) and Endurance Web Presence have been combined into the formation of Newfold Digital in a transaction valued at approximately $3 billion.
Web CEO and President Sharon Rowlands and Web CFO Christina Clohecy will lead Newfold Digital.
Web has come a long way since gaining traction as Website Pros Inc. in the early days of the internet in 1999. Today its brands include Network Solutions, Register.com, Web.com and CrazyDomains.
The Jacksonville-side of Newfold Digital traces its roots back to 1997 when former Web.com CEO and President David Brown founded Atlantic Teleservices.
Like Web, Endurance Web Presence - which is based in Burlingon, Mass. - provides web hosting and domain name registration solutions; primarily through its Bluehost, HostGator and Domain.com brands.
"This combination creates an industry leader with tremendous scale and a strong portfolio of marquee brands and product offerings that furthers our commitment to helping SMBs establish themselves online," said Sharon Rowlands, CEO of Newfold Digital in a news release.
The combined business has approximately 6.7 million global customers.
The financial side of the deal also involves Siris Capital Group, LLC and Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. Siris Capital Group, LLC acquired Web.com in 2018.
WJCT News partner the Jacksonville Daily Record reports that Newfold Digital will be headquartered in Jacksonville at the current Web headquarters at 5379 Gate Parkway.
Newfold Digital's announcement did not address whether any jobs would be added, cut or moved as part of the new company's formation.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
