Leica Geosystems caught the attention of industry analysts at Frost & Sullivan and gained recognition within the North American positioning (GPS), remote sensing, mapping and GIS markets. The Swiss-based company merits respect with smart acquisitions such as ERDAS and LH Systems. For this, Leica Geosystems was bestowed the 2002 Frost & Sullivan Merger & Acquisition Strategy award.
In April of 2001, Leica Geosystems made two key moves that enabled the company to compete in markets outside its traditional strength in high-end positioning. The first was the acquisition of 100 percent of the shares of Atlanta-based ERDAS Incorporated, a leading remote sensing and GIS software provider. Leica Geosystems also acquired the remaining 50 percent of the outstanding shares of San Diego-based LH Systems, LLC, internationally renowned airborne sensors, photogrammetry and remote sensing Software Company. The ability of Leica Geosystems, as a single provider of solutions for precise surveying, mapping, and populating and updating of GIS databases, allows the company to compete in both the surveying and GPS but also the photogrammetry, remote sensing software and GIS data collection markets.
“Our research shows a perfect strategic fit in these fast growing markets of spatial data acquisition, analysis and modeling,” said Ron Stearns, Frost & Sullivan industry analyst. “By integrating the market leaders of airborne spatial data capturing and modeling, Leica Geosystems has placed itself at the forefront of geo-spatial developments in terrestrial, satellite and aerial positioning.”
Leica Geosystems has publicly stated its intent to hold a significant part of the combined surveying/GPS/remote sensing/photogrammetry/GIS data acquisition software markets. Leica Geosystems is pressing toward a leading position with these two acquisitions, each of which hold 45 percent of their respective markets.
“We are proud to receive this award from the respected Frost & Sullivan research group, which further confirms our business and acquisition strategy,” states Hans Hess, President and CEO, Leica Geosystems. “Today we provide customers in the geo-spatial markets the most complete basket of technologies and products available worldwide. This puts us in a privileged position with respect to customers in GIS & mapping by creating complete value chains with the different solutions that only Leica Geosystems is able to provide.”
The reorganized Leica Geosystems creates synergy in its business with LH Systems, handling the airborne data capture side, and ERDAS, the analysis and geographic imaging software provider, complementing existing Leica Geosystems product lines in surveying and GPS hardware and software. Customers benefitting from the systems and services offered by Leica Geosystems include government mapping agencies at the city, county and state level, as well as utilities, telecommunications companies and environmental firms, in addition to private sector surveying and photogrammetric service companies
