Irvine’s Datum to Add Software Subsidiary

Datum Inc., Irvine-based maker of sophisticated timing devices, said Wednesday it agreed to acquire software provider Digital Delivery Inc. of Bedford, Mass.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Privately held Digital Delivery will become a wholly owned Datum subsidiary after the deal is completed, Datum said. The transaction, which requires shareholder approval, is expected to close in two months.

No layoffs are expected at the seven-person Massachusetts firm or at Datum, which has a staff of more than 650.

Datum and Digital Delivery initially worked together on an e-commerce project last year, said David A. Young, chief financial officer for Datum. “We had wanted to expand our product line and get into the e-commerce space for some time,” Young said. “After working with Digital Delivery, we realized that we wanted to be more than partners.”

Digital Delivery, which makes software that electronically transmits a document from one point to another, will provide a range of new products that will use Datum’s timing technology. The company hopes to tap into markets that need a timed, secure means of sending files from one point to another--such as the legal and financial arenas.

Datum’s stock on Wednesday rose $1.38 a share, closing at $8.31.