Skip to main content

Q-Free to supply toll tags to Thailand

The Expressway Authorities of Thailand (EXAT), which constructs, maintains, and manages the country's expressways and public transportation infrastructure, has placed a US$5.6 million order with Q-Free for delivery of tags. The order will be delivered between now and the end of the second quarter 2014. “This significant order is further positioning Q-Free as a major supplier of products to the fast growing tolling market in Thailand. New road infrastructure creates demands for further tolling systems and
February 13, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
The Expressway Authorities of Thailand (EXAT), which constructs, maintains, and manages the country's expressways and public transportation infrastructure, has placed a US$5.6 million order with 108 Q-Free for delivery of tags. The order will be delivered between now and the end of the second quarter 2014.

“This significant order is further positioning Q-Free as a major supplier of products to the fast growing tolling market in Thailand. New road infrastructure creates demands for further tolling systems and hence strengthens the importance for Q-Free systems and products in Thailand”, says Q-Free CEO, Thomas Falck.

Despite lower revenues and order intake in quarter four of 2013, Q-Free sees a relatively healthy development for products and service and maintenance orders in the road user charging (RUC) market. However, project activity remains volatile and dependent on a limited number or projects associated with political risk, funding risk and uncertain timing. Q-Free will continue its efforts to build a new business line within advanced transportation management systems (ATMS), through organic growth and acquisitions.

The company saw continued demand growth for products and services and maintenance but lower revenues and order intake for projects in the fourth quarter. Revenues in the fourth quarter were US$24.5 million, with a negative operating profit (EBIT) of US$8 million, and a negative pre-tax result of US$7.8 million. Both revenues and costs were affected by termination of a contract in Australia. Adjusted for this, EBIT increased from the break-even level achieved in the fourth quarter 2012.

For the full year the company showed a marginal revenue increase to US$99 million, with a negative EBIT of US$15.5 million and a negative pre-tax profit of US16 million.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Norway’s central tolling system contract extended
    July 18, 2013
    The Norwegian Public Road Administration has extended its contract with Q-Free to operate the country’s central tolling system. The contract was due to expire in November 2014, but has been extended for a minimum of 7.5 months. The extension has a minimum value of approximately US$5.6 million. The CSNorway contract was initially signed in 2007 and included the development of the system and conversion of all existing systems into one common central system. Around forty different concessions are running on th
  • Q-Free reorganises, becomes full ITS supplier
    December 7, 2015
    Q-Free’s management is taking the next steps decided to move the company from a road user charging supplier to a fully-integrated ITS company. Over the last few years, Q-Free has acquired eight companies in order to broaden its technology and customer base. To maximise the potential of these assets the company plans further streamlining and reduction of fixed costs and investment, including organisational changes, reduction in the management team and organisation, and optimisation of investments in sales
  • Brazil opts for freeflow tolling
    April 9, 2014
    David Crawford explores the technical background of Brazil’s First multi-lane free-flow tolling system. The 2013 opening of Brazil’s first fully-operational, all-vehicle, multi-lane free-flow (MLFF) tolling system in the state of São Paolo has set the scene for a new phase of modern electronic fee collection (EFC) deployment in Latin America’s largest country. It has toll programmes at both federal and state levels, with São Paulo – the most populous state, with the largest road network – leading in the awa
  • Debating road user charging systems
    January 26, 2012
    Are pre-launch trials of charging systems the way to improve public acceptance? Or is the real key a more robust political attitude? Here, leading system suppliers discuss the issue. The use of distance-based Road User Charging (RUC) is now well established, at least for heavy goods vehicles on strategic roads. However demand management for all vehicles, whether a distance-based charge or some form of cordon scheme, has yet to make significant progress. This is in spite of the logic and equity of RUC being