Q-Free strengthens ATMS business

Q-Free has strengthened its position in the market for advanced transportation management systems with the signing of a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) supplier TDC Systems for an estimated cash and equity consideration of US$16.6 million dependent on future financial performance. Established in 1998, TDC Systems comprises TDC Systems in the UK and its sister company TDC Systems in Australia, both of which are owned by founder and managing director
March 28, 2014 Read time: 3 mins
108 Q-Free has strengthened its position in the market for advanced transportation management systems with the signing of a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) supplier 131 TDC Systems for an estimated cash and equity consideration of US$16.6 million dependent on future financial performance.

Established in 1998, TDC Systems comprises TDC Systems in the UK and its sister company TDC Systems in Australia, both of which are owned by founder and managing director Mark Phillips. The company specialises in research, design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of ITS, including advanced weigh-in-motion systems, traffic counters and classifiers, journey-time monitoring systems, air quality monitoring systems, and detection systems for pedestrians and cyclists.

“The acquisition of TDC Systems is in line with our long-term strategy to build a strong position within Advanced Transportation Management Systems (ATMS), which is a growth area complementing our current main business in the Road User Charging (RUC) market,” says Q-Free CEO Thomas Falck.

Q-Free expects to see significant growth in the ATMS market, given the benefits of new technology deployment in terms of traffic safety and traffic flow, pollution, and operating costs. In 2012, the company acquired US based parking guidance company 7045 TCS International, which was followed up with the acquisitions of the Serbian traffic management company ELCOM and a strategic 10 per cent investment in 7316 Intelight in the US in 2013. TDC Systems significantly broadens Q-Free’s ATMS portfolio.

“TDC Systems holds advanced technologies, products, and systems software solutions for highways, roads, bridges, tunnel management and urban areas that provide a natural extension of Q-Free’s solutions portfolio. This gives us the opportunity to offer more traffic management solutions to our customers in international markets, “says Falck.

For TDC Systems, the acquisition implies significant increase in market reach, through Q-Free’s international operations and partnership network.

“Becoming a part of Q-Free will further strengthen our market leadership, and all employees are very enthusiastic about the opportunity to become part of a much larger international operation with a global network. The additional market exposure and availability of resources will contribute to further expansion of our business together with the rest of the Q-Free family,” says Mark Phillips, founder and managing director of TDC Systems.

In the longer-term, Q-Free expects that the markets for ATMS and Road User Charging will converge into a joint market for Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) – both technologically and commercially. Q-Free intends to play an important role in this market, and will continue to build its position through acquisitions as well as further development of its current businesses within this area.
Detection, Monitoring & Machine Vision Classification & Data Collection Charging, Tolling & RUC

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Bosch in $1.15 billion acquisition of SPX Corporation
    March 22, 2012
    Bosch Automotive Aftermarket division is in the process of undertaking its largest ever acquisition with plans to acquire the service solutions business of US-headquartered SPX Corporation which develops, manufactures and sells diagnostic and service tools, workshop equipment, and software for the global automotive aftermarket. For 2011, the business, based in Warren, Missouri and which employs some 2,700 people in 17 countries, primarily in the US, Germany, France, and China, is expected to generate sales
    Read More
  • Israel aspires to ITS-led future
    May 29, 2013
    Shay Soffer, Chief Scientist with the Israel National Road Safety Authority, talks to Jason Barnes about his country’s current ITS outlook and how he sees this developing in the future. Israel ranks alongside countries such as the US and France in the road safety stakes, with an average 7.1 deaths per billion kilometres driven. But at that point the similarities end, as the country’s overriding issue is pedestrian safety. This is driven by several factors, including being a relatively small country where pe
    Read More
  • WSP to acquire Louis Berger in $400m deal
    August 2, 2018
    WSP is set to acquire US international professional services firm Louis Berger in a deal valued $400m. The transaction will add 5,000 employees to WSP and increase its reach in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. Through the agreement, WSP intends to continue Louis Berger’s restructuring of its international operations and expects to incur $50m in one-time integration and restructuring costs in the coming years. Alexandre L’Heureux, president and chief executive officer of WSP, says the
    Read More
  • Q-Free wins in Australia
    August 11, 2014
    Q-Free has been awarded a frame agreement for ITS OBU610 tags from Interlink Roads in Australia. The three-year contract is valued at a minimum of US$2.5 million but has the potential to be increased. The fourth generation OBU610 combines more than 20 years’ of proven technology and experience to provide future-proof investment. The tag is easily attached to and removed from the vehicle windscreen and is designed to support all applicable 5.8GHz CEN DSRC protocols in the world of for automatic registrat
    Read More

Highlighted Content