ADB Group and Safegate Group have formed ADB Safegate, which will provide a full range of airport operations systems covering aircraft approach to departure
In March, European private equity firm PAI Partners and ADB Airfield Solutions, which it acquired in 2013, in turn acquired Safegate International, a provider of aircraft docking guidance systems, gate management systems, airfield lighting solutions and air traffic control systems.
According to Christian Onselaere, formerly CEO of ADB and now ADB Safegate CEO: “When the opportunity arose to acquire and merge Safegate with ADB, we and our shareholders – PAI Partners – jumped at the chance.
“Safegate and its investor Fairford have, since 1991, built a premier global airfield solutions provider with a track record of growth, excellence and innovation. This merger was seen as an opportunity to write the next chapter of growth and leadership for both brands – ADB and Safegate – in the pursuit of our vision of becoming the world leader in integrated airfield solutions and advanced airfield guidance systems, from aircraft landing to parking.
“With our scale, cumulative experience, innovation capabilities and global reach, ADB Safegate is a true expert in products, solutions and services from the airside over the gate to the tower. We are well positioned to help airports meet the growing challenges of higher traffic throughput, the need for more efficiency, safety and sustainable growth,” Onseleare adds.
He goes on: “ADB Safegate can build on a long-standing reputation and a large installed base at over 2,000 airports in 175 countries. We are creating a true world leader in advanced solutions for aircraft guidance on the ground, with unmatched capabilities to help our customers face the challenges of the future.”
Integration
After the agreement between the shareholders had been signed, the integration process was quickly begun. “We have created streams that review the most important business aspects and domains in both companies so that we agree on key priorities and how to manage these going forward,” Onselaere explained in May.
“As with any other merger, this is a process that will take time. We need to keep in mind where we came from, and where we want to go, while we continue serving our markets by marrying the best of both brands.
“The good news is that we have similar values and company cultures. On a lot of levels we have the same focus, which makes the joining of forces much easier. I can safely say that customers can already see the benefit from dealing with ADB Safegate.”
He continued: “We are now (commercially) operating as ADB Safegate and this will be our commercial name going forward. We are currently working on the rebranding of the company but by September we should have a distinct look and feel and ADB Safegate branding strategy.”
Originality…
“The uniqueness of our offering lies in our coverage of the gate, the airfield and ATC with appropriate state-of-the-art solutions and a data-driven approach to integration,” Onselaere believes. “We will retain a sharp focus on the airside while addressing an end-to-end strategy from approach to departure.
“We have supported major airports around the world, finding solutions to their challenges in the most cost-effective and sustainable way. We now can boast more than 900 employees, all experts in their lines of business, a stronger R&D team pursuing innovation without losing focus on the development and commercialisation of the current portfolios, and a larger, global network of sales channels, production facilities and supply chain management capabilities.
“Bringing these together will no doubt benefit our customers. It’s an exciting time for our employees as well – the opportunity to explore the uncharted, be a part of our grand vision and accelerate their professional growth.
“Our vision is to make all the functions of the airport interact and deliver higher throughput and superior performance, from approach to departure. We are pursuing an end-to-end strategy while retaining a sharp focus on the airside. We will also provide data-driven integration, services and support, and airports can still rely on us for best-in-class products and solutions whatever their challenge – efficiency, safety or sustainability. All this will enable ADB Safegate to capture new opportunities and investments being made to streamline traffic management in the world’s biggest airspaces,” he points out.
