Ariba, the business commerce solutions provider, has acquiredb-process, a privately held company that operates the largestelectronic invoicing network in France, in a move that Ariba sayswill expand its global footprint. Ariba is paying 35 million euros($48 million) in cash for b-process, according to its 8-Kfiling.

Acquiring b-process will increase the annual spending that istransacted via Ariba's network by about 45%, to $270 billion, thecompany says. It estimates the purchase will add about $11 millionto its annual revenue.

B-process' e-invoicing solutions handle more than 40 millioninvoices a year with an estimated value of more than $80 billion,and its customers include such large corporates as Carrefour, EADS,Eurocopter and Saint-Gobain.