The Jenoptik Group has acquired 92 percent of UK company Vysionics Ltd. The remaining shares continue to be held by the organization's management team. The transaction between Jenoptik and Vysionic's main shareholder LDC was completed on November 14, 2014. Both parties agreed to keep the purchase price confidential.
The UK company, which is based in Frimley, Surrey, southwest of London, currently has a workforce of 55 employees and is aiming for a revenue of around 20 million euros for 2014. Vysionics is one of the leading suppliers in the UK of "section control" technology (average speed enforcement over a defined section of road). A further core competence of the company is ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition), an essential part of many innovations within the industry.
According to Jenoptik's President & CEO Michael Mertin: "Vysionics is an important and profitable company in the field of road traffic safety technology in the UK. This acquisition outside the Euro-zone is an important step in our growth process and in our medium- and long-term planning. As one of the leading companies for traffic law enforcement, not only do we gain access to the important UK growth market by acquiring Vysionics, but we also complement our innovative product portfolio; the latest technologies of ANPR and 'section control' are important future-oriented solutions to improve traffic safety on roads worldwide. These technologies significantly strengthen the position of Jenoptik in global road traffic safety projects."
Jenoptik CFO Rüdiger Andreas Günther adds: "The investment was made possible because of our good financial situation. In the interest of our shareholders, it will provide important momentum for additional profitable growth in our international business."
Kevin Chevis, CEO of Vysionics states: "Integration within the Jenoptik Group offers enormous potential for our company and our employees. Our product portfolios ideally complement each other. With the global presence, financial strength and excellent reputation of Jenoptik, we are better able to expand internationally. Furthermore, we share with Jenoptik the same understanding of quality and customer satisfaction."
Jenoptik section control technology is already being used successfully in Austria, Switzerland and Kuwait. With the addition of Vysionics' know-how and proven products, the technology's application range can be expanded and leveraged to even greater international success. In the UK, section control is also widely used on construction sites in order to provide greater safety for highway workers and drivers. Vysionics has already delivered more than 250 construction site section control systems to date.
In the UK and elsewhere, ANPR is a major component of road traffic safety systems and general safety policy. These technologies are installed for traffic law enforcement on roads, in car parks and at railway level crossings. According to industry estimates, the worldwide market for ANPR is set to rise by 14 percent a year up to 2018.
About Vysionics
Vysionics leads the field in average speed enforcement solutions. More than 350 SPECS systems have been installed across the UK, covering every speed limit and road type. Vysionics has a track record in delivering innovative ANPR solutions, including a number of industry firsts: ANPR reader (1979), ANPR security cordon (1996), average speed system (1999) and scanning radar level crossing enforcement (2014).SPECS3 VECTOR is the latest section control solution; from urban 20mph limits to Europe's longest average speed scheme, Vysionics helps highway authorities to make routes safer, flow better, with an improved environment and a high level of public acceptance.