OEConnection (OEC) has completed its acquisition of epyx, r2c Online and Business Gateway from Corpay, assuring customers and partners that existing contacts, agreements and services will remain in place.
The transaction has received all required regulatory approvals. In its completion announcement, reproduced by Tyre Trade News, OEC said both organisations would continue delivering existing services without interruption. For tyre businesses using the acquired platforms, continuity is the immediate message following the ownership change.
The acquisition covers epyx Ltd, r2c Online Ltd and Business Gateway GmbH. It follows Corpay’s announcement on 5 August that it had signed a definitive agreement with OEC, a Francisco Partners portfolio company.
Corpay presented the disposal as part of its portfolio simplification and continued shift towards corporate payments. At that stage, completion was expected in the autumn, subject to regulatory approvals and standard closing conditions. The completed transaction now places the businesses within an automotive aftersales technology group with an existing fleet software offering.
According to OEC, epyx’s 1link platforms serve operators of more than four million vehicles and process over £2 billion in transactions annually. These figures cover the wider platforms, including servicing, maintenance and repair activity, rather than tyre transactions alone.
The tyre-trade relevance extends across both fleet maintenance and procurement. epyx describes its 1link portfolio as supporting vehicle maintenance authorisation, European tyre and SMR management, and connections between garages and fleets. Its separate e-procurement service connects tyre manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers with repairers, supporting ordering and providing billing histories.
Development of the technology was already underway before the acquisition agreement. In July 2025, epyx announced tyre-management functions for its redeveloped “New Evolution” version of 1link Service Network.
The company said the changes focused on usability, including presenting information without requiring users to switch between screens. That work formed part of a wider redevelopment covering the platform’s architecture, interface, jobsheets and driver booking process. These were existing product developments, rather than changes announced as a result of the acquisition.
OEC already supplies fleet authorisation and invoicing technology through Athoris. Its fleet product information identifies tyre approvals alongside servicing, maintenance, repair, glass and MOT work among the activities supported for leasing and fleet companies. Athoris also connects operators, suppliers and repairers for repair quotation management and invoicing.
The acquisition therefore brings another established fleet platform business into a group already active in this market. However, the completion announcement does not set out a timetable for combining 1link with Athoris or changing tyre-supplier integrations, approval rules, fees or work allocation.
OEC says customers will benefit from increased technology investment, supported by its majority investor Francisco Partners. For tyre suppliers and fitting businesses, the confirmed position remains that existing arrangements continue while the new owner develops its plans.
Tags: OEC, OEConnection, epyx acquisition, 1link, r2c Online, Business Gateway, Corpay, fleet tyre management, Athoris, fleet servicing
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