Africa’s leading systems integrator Business Connexion, announced that it has acquired 100% of the issued share capital of Quad Automation (Pty) Ltd.
Quad Automation is a South African company that specialises in the industrial sector in Programmable Logic Controls (PLC), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES).
It provides specialised engineering design, development and consulting services to its clients across a broad range of disciplines, ranging from large turnkey projects with Multiple PLC and SCADA systems down to standalone MES systems and consultancy projects.
Vanessa Olver, Business Connexion Deputy CEO and Group Executive Services Division, says that the rationale behind the acquisition is that Quad Automation fits perfectly within Business Connexion’s Industrial Solutions business.
This acquisition will make Business Connexion one of the largest Industrial Solutions players and further boost the company’s competencies in the mining, manufacturing, petrochemical and energy industry verticals, augmenting the provision of infrastructure, support services, and solutions that form the core technology-enablers of these industries.
Invensys Wonderware is the developer of the number one selling suite of Manufacturing Management Information (MMI) software in the world (source – Gartner Group). “As a global provider of technology systems, software solutions and consulting services to the manufacturing and infrastructure operations industries, we have a long standing relationship with both Business Connexion and Quad Automation. The marriage of the two certainly provides us with exciting opportunities”, says Mike le Plastrier, Managing Director, Invensys Operations Management.
Considering that both Business Connexion and Quad Automation have extensive experience working with the Invensys Wonderware toolsets, the expectation is that Business Connexion will now dominate this space.
“The skills required to deliver these solutions involve a blend of electrical, electronic and control system engineering disciplines, together with a good understanding of Information technology systems. These are scarce skills, hence this acquisition is key to further bolster Business Connexion’s competency in this area,” Olver explains.
“By evaluating and monitoring trends and the development of technology in the industrial automation space Quad Automation has continuously been at the forefront in industry developing and deploying fully integrated organisational systems. This has enabled clients to derive real economic value from well-integrated information and automation solutions while ensuring they receive world class systems utilizing the appropriate technologies and engineering skills. We believe that adding real value to an enterprise is achieved by fully integrating all business and business support systems” explains Cedric Michael Director of Quad Automation.
“Quad Automation services customers that Business Connexion has not yet served with Industrial Solutions. The acquisition also creates new opportunities that will include Industrial Solutions for relevant departments at a number of local and regional blue chip companies,” concludes Olver.
