Thomson Reuters acquires precious metals consultancy GFMS

August 5, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Thomson Reuters has acquired analyst firm GFMS (formerly known as Gold Fields Mineral Services), a precious metals consultancy, specialising in research into the global gold, silver, platinum and palladium markets. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

“The strategy for our commodities business has been to deliver best-of-breed, specialist services and unique content to energy, metals and agriculture professionals via our next generation desktop Thomson Reuters Eikon,” said Shaun Sibley, global head, commodities, Thomson Reuters. “This investment coupled with our acquisition of Point Carbon last year is helping us deepen those propositions by bringing in specialist talent to our team which delivers invaluable insight, information and tools to our clients.

“Our clients will now have access to additional high-value GFMS content via Thomson Reuters Eikon in the future. We’re extremely pleased to join forces with GFMS and significantly strengthen our offering to the metals market,” added Sibley.

Both Philip Klapwijk, chairman of GFMS, and Paul Walker, CEO of GFMS, will remain with the business and take up new roles as global head of metals analytics and global head of precious metals respectively. They will report to Mitchel Ingham-Barrow who is Global Head of Metals at Thomson Reuters.

“This is an exciting time for GFMS as we become part of the large-scale and dynamic company that is Thomson Reuters, helping us to provide an even sharper focus on the global metals markets,” commented Philip Klapwijk, incoming global head of metals analytics, Thomson Reuters. “We see the Thomson Reuters Eikon desktop as one of the most innovative tools for metals professionals and we look forward to enhancing this proposition even further with the addition of our research and analysis.”

USA, New York, NY & UK, London

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Kaplan acquires e-learning provider Structuralia

August 2, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Training and education provider Kaplan, has acquired Madrid-based Structuralia, the e-learning provider for the engineering and infrastructure sector in Spain. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Structuralia provides training to more than 85,000 staff employed at more than 1,350 companies.  Major clients include ACS, Ferrovial (operator of Indiana Toll Road and BAA-Heathrow Airport), Sacyr (builder of the new extension of the Panama Canal), OHL (designer, builder, financer and operator of University of Montreal Hospital; builder of New York Subway), and energy companies such as ENDESA, IBERDROLA and REE.

In partnership with five Spanish universities, Structuralia also offers 16 Master’s degree programs and 11 Executive Programs including an MBA for engineering professionals, and will be launching two further programs in the autumn.  University partners are: the University of Comillas (ICAI and ICADE Business School), the Polytechnical University of Madrid, and the Polytechnical University of Catalonia.
In Europe, Kaplan provides training towards professional qualifications and business programs, higher education programs and English language courses.

“Significant changes in the infrastructure industry through advances in technology and the new models of financing created by Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) are generating a growing demand for further education for engineers and skilled tradesmen,” said Jose Wehnes, CEO of Kaplan Europe.  “We look forward to meeting that demand in Spain and beyond by developing Structuralia’s impressive learning solutions.

“Their focus on personal, portable and flexible training is closely aligned with Kaplan’s work on innovation in delivering high quality education and training to students whenever and wherever it best suits them.”

Juan José Gálligo, CEO of Structuralia since the founding of Structuralia ten years ago, who will continue in the company as CEO, said: “In 2001, a group of construction companies and engineers with a shared vision started Structuralia, and it has since enjoyed solid growth, strong margins and has built an enviable list of clients.  It was important to find a strategic buyer that could take us to the next stage in our growth.  With Kaplan’s 70 year history in providing education and training, and their global reach, we believe this is an excellent fit for developing our offering both in Spain and internationally.”

UK, London & Spain, Madrid

 

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EnerNOC has acquired Australian demand response provider Energy Response

July 7, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

EnerNOC, Inc. a leading provider of demand response applications and services, at it has acquired Energy Response Pty Ltd, the largest demand response provider in Australia and New Zealand. This acquisition significantly strengthens EnerNOC’s presence in Western Australia’s Wholesale Electricity Market, where EnerNOC now has the opportunity to deliver 240 megawatts of demand response capacity in the 2012/2013 delivery year, up from its initial position of 100 megawatts. The acquisition also marks EnerNOC’s entry into Eastern Australia’s National Electricity Market and the New Zealand Electricity Market, where favorable opportunities for demand response and energy efficiency are emerging.

Michael Zammit, Managing Director of Energy Response, moves into a new role leading Market Development for EnerNOC’s operations in Australia and New Zealand.

“The electricity markets in Australia and New Zealand present tremendous opportunities for EnerNOC and Energy Response to join forces to provide a broad range of demand-side resources,” said Tim Healy, Chairman and CEO of EnerNOC. “Energy Response shares our strong commitment to engaging electricity users to promote cost-effective, clean energy management solutions, and we look forward to delivering these solutions in markets where they are highly valued.”

Energy Response is active in capacity, energy, and ancillary services markets and has established the largest network of commercial, institutional, and industrial demand response providers across Australia and New Zealand. “Demand response provides a valuable service to electricity users and utilities at a fraction of the cost of traditional supply-side measures,” said Ross Fraser, Founder and Chairman of Energy Response. “That is why Energy Response is committed to providing the most advanced range of demand-side resources available, and it is also why we have worked so diligently to integrate these resources into electricity markets in Australia and New Zealand.”

“As Australia and New Zealand move toward a lower-carbon energy future, solutions like demand response, carbon management, and data-driven energy efficiency will become even more important, both to electricity users and the nations’ electricity grids,” said David Brewster, President of EnerNOC. “Our applications are built to serve utilities, grid operators, and electricity users across the globe. With Energy Response, we are very excited about expanding our capabilities to deliver these solutions in Australia and New Zealand.”

EnerNOC anticipates this acquisition to be dilutive to earnings in 2011 and 2012, and accretive beginning in 2013. EnerNOC will provide additional details on its financial outlook and this transaction as part of its upcoming second quarter 2011 financial results conference call.

USA, Boston, MA & Australia, Melbourne

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Johnson Controls completes the acquisition of smart grid demand response business EnergyConnect Group

July 6, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Johnson Controls has completed the acquisition of EnergyConnect Group, a provider of smart grid demand response services and technologies. The acquisition was completed on July, 1, 2011.  News of the acquisition was first reported by Fusion DigiNet on March 3, 2011. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“One of our strategies at Johnson Controls Building Efficiency is to play a significant role in the growing market for demand response services by enabling smart buildings to interface seamlessly into the grid,” said Dave Myers, vice president of Johnson Controls and president of the company’s Building Efficiency business. “With the acquisition of EnergyConnect, Johnson Controls now combines the power of building automation systems with an intuitive technology platform that provides our customers the ability to take action to capture demand response opportunities.  This creates a new level of building intelligence.”

Demand response refers to changes in electricity usage for buildings based on capacity, price or reliability signals from the electric grid.  EnergyConnect’s demand response technology and service platform provides energy managers and facility operators real-time energy information and access to energy markets, enabling them to manage their energy usage.  EnergyConnect’s GridConnect technology platform provides a scalable, cost-effective, clean technology to enhance the grid’s efficiency and reliability.

“Johnson Controls recognized the benefits of EnergyConnect’s leadership in demand response technology,” said Kevin R. Evans, former president and Chief Executive Officer of EnergyConnect. “We have experienced outstanding growth and customer adoption since the launch of our award-winning GridConnect platform last year. Through the Johnson Controls acquisition, we are now positioned to extend this reach to a significantly larger customer base and accelerate the transformation of energy use in response to market prices while enhancing grid reliability.”

Evans will continue to lead the EnergyConnect team as vice president and general manager for Demand Response Services for Johnson Controls Building Efficiency.

Johnson Controls helps its customers reduce energy and operational costs by providing building management solutions. The additional products and services from EnergyConnect broaden Johnson Controls’ portfolio of energy solutions offerings.

USA, Milwaukee, WI

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Reed Business Information acquires Ascend

June 29, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Fusion DigiNet has mainly reported on RBI selling businesses over the last year. For the second time in a month we are able to report on an RBI acquisition.

Reed Business Information, publisher of www.flightglobal.com, Flight International and Airline Business magazines, ACAS and Air Transport Intelligence, has acquired Ascend Worldwide Group Holdings Limited. Ascend will be integrated with RBI’s aerospace information and data services business, Flightglobal.

Ascend, headquartered in London with offices in New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo, delivers aircraft and engine data through online subscription services and provides valuations, appraisals and advisory services to a world-wide client base spanning aviation investors and financiers, lessors, manufacturers, operators and suppliers.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. However, it is likely that the deal works very well for Ascend’s private equity backer, Lloyds Development Capital. LDC acquired its initial holding in Ascend when in 2005 it backed a £10 million MBO of Airclaims, the provider of aviation claims, risk and asset management services. In July 2006, the information and consultancy division of Airclaims was re-branded “Ascend”. In August 2007, Ascend began trading as a separate entity.

Over the past five years Ascend has undergone rapid expansion. Ascend’s revenues have risen by 20% per annum over the previous three years and the number of employees has increased by 50%. In April 2010 LDC injected new capital and increased its stake in Ascend. The new capital commitment doubled LDC’s total investment in the company to £12million. LDC still owns Airclaims.

Ascend brings to Flightglobal an impressive position in the global air finance market,” says Jane Burgess, RBI managing director. “This exciting acquisition adds important new data assets and expertise to Flightglobal’s existing aviation data business and provides Ascend with access to Flightglobal’s powerful global aviation audience and extensive marketing capabilities.”

“I am very excited about the opportunities that the combination of Ascend and Flightglobal will bring.” says Gehan Talwatte, Ascend CEO. “By combining our insight and expertise with Flightglobal’s growing global audience, distribution capabilities and unrivalled media presence, we can significantly extend the reach of the Ascend brand.”

Further reading – Alasdair Whyte’s blog

UK, London

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Energy Efficiency business Scientific Conservation to acquire Servidyne

June 29, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Scientific Conservation, a leading provider of energy efficiency solutions for the commercial building market, is to acquire Servidyne, an energy management and demand response company, for a price of $3.50 per share in an all-cash transaction.

The transaction is expected to close on or before Q4 2011. The combined company will be renamed SCIenergy.

SCIenergy will combine Servidyne’s extensive experience in Energy Efficiency, Demand Response and Facilities Maintenance with SCI’s core competency in cloud-based energy management.  Servidyne also has deep domain knowledge in Retro Commissioning, LEED for Existing Buildings and is the nine-time recipient of EPA’s Energy Star Partner of the Year Award.

“We’re very impressed with the Servidyne team and reputation, and are excited about their customer base and long term relationships with commercial building owners and operators.  The new company will have solid customer contracts and partnerships with many Fortune 50 companies, and is well positioned to be a recognized leader in next generation cloud-based energy management,” said Russ McMeekin, CEO, SCI.

“We are delighted to become part of the SCI family. The newly formed company will have tremendous capabilities in serving global customers using a scalable platform,” said Todd Jarvis, President, Servidyne.

San Francisco, CA &  Atlanta, GA

 

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Smart Metering Systems to float on AIM with a market capitalisation of £50M

June 27, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Smart Metering Systems has announced its flotation on AIM. Dealings in the Group’s shares will commence on 8 July 2011. The Group’s ticker symbol will be SMS.L. The market capitalisation of the Group at the Placing Price will be £50 million. The proceeds will be used to fund the organic growth of the business through investment in gas meter assets and the Group’s patent pending ADM smart metering device.

The company has already raised £10.0 million of new investment from a broad range of institutional and other investors at a price of 60 pence per share.

For the year ended 31 December 2010 Smart Metering Systems reported revenue of £12.4m and EBIT of £2.2m.

Alan Foy, Chief Executive Officer said: “I am delighted by the level of interest shown by our new shareholders to our flotation on the London Stock Exchange. The Placing has gone well and has been substantially oversubscribed in very difficult market conditions, demonstrating the strength of our business model”

Cenkos Securities plc is acting as Nominated Adviser and Broker to the Group.

UK, Glasgow

 

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Smart metering business PlotWatt secures $1 Million in seed funding

June 23, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet
PlotWatt, a company helping individuals and businesses reduce energy bills through personalised smart meter data analysis has secured $1 million in a seed round of funding led by Felicis Ventures.  The funds will be used by PlotWatt to scale its platform for both the commercial and residential markets.

USA, Durham, NC

 

 

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Thomson Reuters acquires CorpSmart from Deloitte

June 22, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Thomson Reuters has acquired CorpSmart from Deloitte. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

A leader in the market, CorpSmart provides multinational corporations (MNCs) in South Africa with intelligent corporate tax compliance software. Using this web-based solution, MNCs are able to prepare monthly, quarterly and annual income tax computations as well as file South African IT14 tax returns.

This highly diverse market, which many MNCs have identified for growth and investment opportunities, is now recognised and referred to as a ‘frontier market’. The purchase of CorpSmart, which will be integrated into the ONESOURCE suite of solutions, will strengthen the expanding Tax & Accounting business and provide its customer base with the tools to develop business in this exciting market.

“South Africa has created an impressive financial and regulatory structure to position itself as the singular hub for the continent and as such, it rightly has the focus of multinational corporations and other major economic entities around the world,” said Brian Peccarelli, president of the Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters.

“The CorpSmart acquisition is strategically and geographically important for the Tax & Accounting business as it marks the inaugural entry to the African market and will form part of our global offering,” concluded Brian Peccarelli.

“As MNCs look to new markets and regions like South Africa for investment, it is important that they have the right information about the local tax system and the best tools to help them achieve compliance,” commented Duane Newman, managing director, Deloitte and Touche Tax Technologies. “As a leader in the corporate and income tax technology sector within this market we have been able to deliver this expertise on a wide scale.”

UK, London & South Africa

Related articles:

1. Thomson Reuters

2. Deloitte

 


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IHS makes five acquisitions – CMAI, ODS-Petrodata, Dyadem International, EIATrack & CSM South America

June 14, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

IHS has made its fifth acquisition this year, Chemical Market Associates (CMAI), a provider of market & business advisory services for the worldwide petrochemical, specialty chemicals, fertilizer, plastics, fibers and chlor-alkali industries.

“CMAI is a natural complement to our ever-expanding capabilities in the chemical industry’s information, analysis and consulting market,” said IHS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jerre Stead. “The company’s comprehensive information and analysis adds to our event-driven supply-chain information strategy and the company’s price discovery and analysis business will broaden IHS commodities and cost information capabilities. CMAI’s unique and proprietary chemical information can be used throughout IHS to deliver additional high-value analytical services to our global customers.”

CMAI clients include chemical companies, oil and gas companies, technology and engineering companies, financial institutions, plastic converters, industrial and consumer manufacturers, retailers, government agencies, trading companies, financials and shipping companies. The company is headquartered in Houston, with offices in Bangkok, Dubai, Dusseldorf, London, New York, Shanghai and Singapore.

The IHS acquisition of CMAI follows a string of strategic transactions that bolster the company’s broad base of capabilities in energy and power, environmental health and safety (EHS) and sustainability, petrochemicals and automotive industry forecasting.

During the first four months of 2011, IHS also acquired:

ODS-Petrodata – A premier provider of data, information and market intelligence to the offshore energy industry.

Dyadem International – The market leader in Operational Risk Management and Quality Risk Management solutions.

EIATrack – A subscription-based, online tool for quickly and cost-effectively navigating and managing global environmental regulations and legislation, EIATrack tracks more than 6,000 pieces of legislation from proposal to implementation, analyzing environmental regulatory activity in North America, Europe, South America and Asia Pacific. The acquisition represents continued investment in the electronics supply chain, for which IHS has already established a strategic position through the company’s REACH and Compliance Suite offerings, as well as the recent iSuppli acquisition.

CSM South America – CSM South America compiles and maintains automotive forecast information for all South American countries. The company also sells IHS Automotive products and manages the resulting customer relationships in the region. The acquisition will give IHS more direct access to this critical, rapidly growing market, while providing a platform to enhance the company’s automotive forecasting business with localized insight.

“With these five transactions completed so far in 2011, IHS has completed more than 30 strategic acquisitions since 2007, deploying more than $1.3 billion in capital,” added Stead. “Each of these acquisitions affords our company the opportunity to expand the information and insight offerings we provide to our customers to help them make critical business decisions every day.”

As a result of the company’s 2011 acquisition activity, IHS is updating its full-year 2011 revenue and adjusted EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) guidance. For the year ending November 30, 2011, IHS expects:

  • All-in revenue between $1.275 and $1.305 billion; and
  • All-in adjusted EBITDA between $388 and $398 million.
USA, Englewood, CO
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