Continuing a series of acquisitions in recent years, Trimble announced today (April 19, 2011) that the Sunnyvale, California–based company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Ashtech S.A.S.
In announcing the its plans, Trimble said that it expects the acquisition of the Carquefou, France, company and its affiliates will expand the U.S. company’s Spectra Precision portfolio of survey solutions and allow the company to better address emerging markets worldwide.
Continuing a series of acquisitions in recent years, Trimble announced today (April 19, 2011) that the Sunnyvale, California–based company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Ashtech S.A.S.
In announcing the its plans, Trimble said that it expects the acquisition of the Carquefou, France, company and its affiliates will expand the U.S. company’s Spectra Precision portfolio of survey solutions and allow the company to better address emerging markets worldwide.
Closing of the transaction, anticipated in the second quarter, is subject to certain closing conditions. Financial terms were not disclosed.
"With the acquisition of Ashtech, survey and construction professionals using Spectra Precision’s range of surveying solutions should be able to enjoy an even more comprehensive set of GNSS instruments to meet their daily job requirements," said Joe Denniston, vice president of Trimble’s Spectra Precision Business.
"Trimble’s acquisition of Ashtech is an ideal fit for both organizations," said Francois Erceau, vice president and general manager of Ashtech. "The acquisition should benefit Ashtech’s existing customers in the markets we serve and enhance our ability to support them with an even broader portfolio moving forward."
The operating results of the acquired business will be reported within Trimble’s Engineering and Construction segment.
Ashtech has been developing GNSS products for more than 25 years, including creation of its BLADE technology, which provides a method for using multiple GNSS constellations for high-accuracy positioning. Ashtech has also introduced the MobileMapper series of products for GIS and mapping, as well as the ProFlex 500 and ProMark series, a GNSS land survey product line currently on the market. Ashtech S.A.S. is privately held and headquartered in Carquefou, France, with offices in Beijing, China, and Singapore, as well as affiliates in Santa Clara, Calif. (Ashtech LLC) and Moscow (Ashtech A/O LLC).
Focusing on the specific needs of the conventional surveying market, the Spectra Precision brand offers a product portfolio that includes GNSS, optical total stations, data collection hardware, field and office software, as well as a wide range of construction tools.
Before joining Trimble as its president and CEO in 1999, Steven Berglund served as president of Spectra Precision, then a group within Spectra Physics AB. The following year Trimble acquired the Spectra Precision Group, which remains a distinctive brand and product line within the company.
