EADS signed agreement with Groupe Lagassé for the sale of its system integration centre in Berlin, Germany
EADS signed agreement with Groupe Lagass for the sale of its system integration centre in Berlin, Germany
- Sale secures customer supply and jobs
- Groupe Lagass to strengthen its position in Europe
Amsterdam/Sherbrooke, 2 November 2006 – EADS and Canada’s Groupe Lagass – specialising in telecommunications sector, among other activities – announced today an agreement on the sale EADS’ Secure Networks System Integration Center (SIC) in Berlin, Germany to Groupe Lagass.
To face the new challenges and requirements from customers, both companies have decided to position the SIC in an international environment in the area of Secure Networks. This move will further secure both customer supply and the employees jobs. The acquisition will firm up Groupe Lagasss relationship with EADS through the strengthening of its presence via a second production site in Europe. With references like the large-scale project BOSNet – a nationwide authority network for Germany – EADS is preparing its secure networks activities for future growth potential by focussing on Large Systems Integration (LSI) capabilities for Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) in public safety, defence and critical missions. It is expected that the buyer will take possession of the business as of 1 December 2006.
Groupe Lagass is already a stable and reliable supplier of components for the professional communications networks of EADS Secure Networks. After Groupe Lagass had acquired EADS’ industrial systems integration and preparation centre in Douarnenez, France, in 2005, the purchase of EADS’ Berlin site offers similar, and complementary, manufacturing and integration services and expertise in industrial telecom systems. It thus represents the expansion of its activities and positioning in Europe and confirms the strategy of the Group to develop telecom markets by relying on proven know-how and expertise.
“Due to our past experience with Groupe Lagass, we are convinced that the takeover of the EADS Secure Networks site in Berlin will strengthen its capacity. In addition, this will allow EADS to concentrate on LSI business, in order to fulfil our customers’ needs and to streamline our Secure Networks business,” said Stefan Zoller, Member of the Executive Committee of EADS and CEO of Defence & Security Systems.
Louis Lagass, Chairman of Groupe Lagass, explained: “This agreement represents an important breakthrough for our group in Germany and in Europe and will enable us to further develop and solidify our business with EADS Secure Networks and establish a new basis of operations for our existing and future customers.”
EADS Secure Networks belongs to the Defence and Communications Systems (DCS) Business Unit, the EADS “Systems House”, and is an integrated part of the EADS Defence & Security Systems (DS) Division. Defence & Security Systems (DS) is a system solutions provider. It combines military air systems, missile systems, communications and intelligence systems, global security solutions as well as sensor and avionics systems into a single effective network. With 2005 revenues of 5.6 billion, the Division employs 23,000. EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2005, EADS generated revenues of 34.2 billion and employed a workforce of about 113,000.
Groupe Lagass is an internationally diversified group providing state-of-the-art technologies and solutions for secure networking and communications for businesses and consumers. Activities span the development and sale of secure IP communications products (hardware, software and technologies), engineering and electronic manufacturing services (including custom development of production testing benches), value-added integration services and CRM technologies (including mass communications). Generating annual revenues in excess of 130 million (over CDN $180 million in 2006), Groupe Lagass has operations in Europe and North America and employs over 1,000 people worldwide.
For more information about Groupe Lagass:
http://www.lc-i.com.
Contact:
EADS
Alexander Reinhardt
Tel.: +49 (0) 89 3179 4646
Munich, Germany
alexander.reinhardt@eads.com
GROUPE LAGASSE
Caroline Lpinay
Director, Communications
Tel.: 1-514-531-0640
Montral, Canada
clepinay@videotron.ca
Nicole Bissonnette
Tel.: 1-819-563-6833 – Ext. 313
llagasse@essagal.ca