IRD buys VDS in European expansion

Canadian company on acquisition trail in smart cities and traffic management segments
Enforcement / April 28, 2021
By Adam Hill
IRD Sensors red-light running enforcement © Tanewpix | Dreamstime.com
IRD is on the acquisition trail again (© Tanewpix | Dreamstime.com)

International Road Dynamics (IRD) has made its second German acquisition in the last few months as it expands its European footprint.

It has bought for 1.9m Löbau-based VDS Verkehrstechnik (VDS Traffic Engineering), which develops, manufactures and sells fixed and mobile monitoring devices for speed and red-light infringements.

The company's manufacturing facility and two service centres in Germany will be absorbed into fibre optic specialist Sensor Line, which IRD bought for €3.8m in January this year.

German firm Sensor Line is one of VDS’s largest suppliers of sensors.

IRD boss Rish Malhotra told ITS International then that strategic acquisitions are a key part of the company's growth strategy as it extends its reach into the smart cities and traffic management market: 'You're going to see a lot more of that from us going forward.'

In a statement on the VDS acquisition, the company said it looked forward "to offering our partners and customers a wider range of ITS solutions, including new traffic data monitoring options, speed enforcement systems, and red-light violation enforcement systems".

It stressed the deal would "have no impact on the relationships VDS has with their customers and partners".

Product manufacturing in Löbau will continue, as will installation, service and customer support to customers. 
 

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