business news Vanderbilt completes ACT acquisition Wiesbaden, Germany Vanderbilt has confirmed the completion of its purchase of Access Control Technology (ACT) Ltd. The integration of ACT’s product line into Vanderbilt’s core offering brings significant depth to the company’s access control and video surveillance while also bringing a new cloud-based solution to the portfolio. The ACT brand will remain through the well-known products being added to the Vanderbilt portfolio, such as ACT pro, ACT enterprise and ACT365. Vanderbilt will capitalise on ACT’s market share in Ireland and the UK in addition to introducing the products to North American customers and partners. ACT’s ACT365, is an integrated, cloud-based access control and video management software solution that brings additional depth to Vanderbilt’s product line. The software-as-a-service model brings a recurring revenue model to Vanderbilt and its channel partners. ACT365 provides stakeholders with the ability to manage system administration and management from anywhere, at any time and on any device. “The ACT business is a strategic fit with the Vanderbilt brand, capitalising on its strong, profitable business in the UK and Ireland,” said Joe Grillo, CEO, Vanderbilt. “The addition of an integrated access control and video platform is a logical step in the direction of growing our business on an international scale in the areas of access control, video and intrusion. Hosted, cloud-based systems are gaining in popularity in the security arena, becoming the logical way forward in future-proofing a facility’s security posture.” Vanderbilt’s integration of its July 2015 acquisition of the Joe Grillo, CEO, Vanderbilt. Siemens Security Products line of business considerably expanded the company’s presence in the highly fragmented security and access control market. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Chinese giant invests in Agent Vi Tel Aviv, Israel Kuang-Chi Science Limited, the Shenzhen, China based company and a member of the Kuang-Chi Group, has agreed to become a strategic investor in Agent Video Intelligence (Agent Vi), an Israeli video analytics company. The investment, part of Kuang-Chi’s $300 million Global Community of Innovation (GCI) fund launched earlier this year, will expand the company’s portfolio of technologies that enable safe, smart cities. The company is investing alongside public safety leader Motorola Solutions, which first invested in Agent Vi in 2012. According to IHS market research firm, Agent Vi, which was founded in 2003, is the market leader in video analytics, with thousands of successful deployments worldwide. Agent Vi’s patented technology provides sophisticated, customised analytics across safe city, infrastructure, transport, retail and other applications. Operating through hundreds of integrators and resellers, Agent Vi’s solutions turn surveillance cameras into intelligent sensors that automatically analyse, detect and search massive volumes of video through its cloud interface. Kuang-Chi invests in technologically disruptive, early to mid-stage companies in robotics, machine vision, aviation, and related technology sectors. GCI Fund portfolio companies receive the full support of Kuang-Chi’s corporate resources, from sales and marketing to joint tech development. Earlier this year, the company established a creative hub in Singapore for furthering development of its Future City strategy. Agent Vi expects to use the invested funds to expand its engineering, sales and management teams. The company plans to open local offices to serve its growing client base in China, Southeast Asia and Europe. Dr. Ruopeng Liu, chairman of Kuang-Chi, said: “I am pleased to announce our investment and partnership with Agent Vi. This stake will make an important contribution to Kuang-Chi’s portfolio of Future City offerings and projects. As a strategic investor along with Motorola Solutions Venture Capital, we will help Agent Vi expand into Future City projects across Asia.” Agent Vi CEO Itsik Kattan stated: “Agent Vi has gained a foothold in China and found an important partner in Kuang-Chi, a company that is creating next generation technologies with broad applications for the future of cities. We appreciate the vote of confidence in our growth strategy shown by our Board and Dr. Liu with this transaction.” Assa Abloy acquires Trojan Holdings in the UK Stockholm, Sweden Assa Abloy has acquired Trojan Holdings Limited, a leading supplier of door and window hardware in the UK. “I am very pleased to welcome Trojan into the Assa Abloy Group. Trojan offers a comprehensive portfolio of window and door hardware products that in a very good way complements the Assa Abloy offering in the UK market”, says Johan Molin, President and CEO of Assa Abloy. ”Trojan is an innovative, design driven business, with a strong management team and a great track record of growth and continuous product develop- ment”, says Tzachi Wiesenfeld, Executive Vice President of Assa Abloy and Head of the EMEA division. “Trojan’s products will reinforce the Yale offering in the strategic residential market in the UK. I am delighted to welcome the Trojan team into Assa Abloy”. Trojan was established in 1993, it is headquartered in Walsall, West Midlands and has 65 employees. Sales for 2016 are expected to reach nearly GBP 20 million (approx. SEK 220 million) and the acquisition will be accretive to EPS from the start. 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