Topcon acquires InlandGEO
May 26, 2010
LIVERMORE, Calif. – Topcon Positioning Systems (TPS) has
acquired InlandGEO, one of Topcon’s top performing distributors. InlandGEO is
headquartered in Madrid, Spain, and has four additional offices in Spain, two in
Portugal and one in the Canary Islands.
In addition to continuing to
distribute Topcon and Sokkia positioning products to the construction and survey
markets in Spain and Portugal, InlandGEO will become the headquarters for
distribution and support for Topcon precision agriculture products in Europe,
the Middle East and Africa.
Established in 1987, InlandGEO “has a deep
knowledge of the positioning industry, starting with lasers, machine control and
precision land leveling systems,” said Ray O’Connor, TPS president and CEO.
“This acquisition reinforces InlandGEO as a premiere Topcon and Sokkia
distributor in Spain and Portugal, and now provides the opportunity for rapid
growth of Topcon’s position in precision agricultural markets all across Europe,
the Middle East and Africa.”
From 1993 through 2005, InlandGEO was a top
European distributor of Trimble positioning products. It acquired one of the
world’s largest Sokkia dealers in 2002, and then acquired Topcon distribution
for Spain and Portugal in 2005.
O’Connor also announced that Carlos
Monreal, InlandGEO president and CEO, will remain president of the company, in
addition to his current duties as vice president of global agriculture for
Topcon Precision Agriculture (TPA), and he will be responsible for TPA’s
European operations. TPA is a business unit of TPS and is led by Albert Zahalka,
senior vice president and general manager for the division.
Tony
Hirayama, former executive vice president of TPS and president and CEO of TPA,
as well as holding several positions with Topcon Corporation in Tokyo, will
assume the position of CEO of InlandGEO. Dave Mudrick, president of Topcon
America Corporation, the holding company for TPS, will be chairman of the
InlandGEO board of directors. Ewout Korpershoek, managing director of Topcon
Europe Positioning, Ivan Di Federico, TPS senior vice president of global
engineering, and O’Connor round out the board of directors.
Monreal
praised the acquisition, saying, “The global scope of the new board of
directors, with officers from Europe, the United States and Japan shows a strong
commitment to InlandGEO and its expanded customer base. This acquisition is a
very positive step for Topcon, InlandGEO, the company’s employees, customers and
potential customers.”
Topcon Positioning Systems,
Inc. (TPS) designs and manufactures precise positioning products and
solutions for the global surveying, construction, agriculture, civil
engineering, mapping and GIS, asset management and mobile control markets. TPS’
parent company, Topcon Corporation (Tokyo Stock Exchange – 7732), was founded in
1932.
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