Altran buys automotive safety specialist Concept Tech
Altran has recently acquired Concept Tech, an Austria-based firm that develops, simulates and tests services to ensure passenger safety. Financial terms of the transaction, which will see about 100 employees transfer to Altran, have not been disclosed.
Founded in 1998, Concept Tech has grown to one of the leading automotive firms in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) specialised in safety. The company helps manufacturers simulate and test their car safety through a range of crash test equipments and tools / facilities, as well as testing the safety of interior products such as airbag systems and pedestrian protection devices. Concept Tech in addition provides specialist safety engineering and consulting services.
Concept Tech will be integrated into Altran’s automotive industry, which consists of approximately 3,500 engineers and consultants. The practice has on the ground premises in 10 countries, serving clients in more than 20 countries, including Renault, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Volkswagen, Fiat en BMW. Based on the added skills and capabilities, Altran will launch a new Center of Excellence that will specifically focus on vehicle safety (dubbed the ‘World Class Centre for vehicle safety’).
“Altran is following its strategy of helping automotive clients to innovate and deliver attractive mobility solutions more efficiently”, says Mario Walenta, Altran Vice-President for Automotive, Infrastructure and Transportation. “With the creation of this World Class Centre, Altran becomes one of the world’s largest independent engineering providers for passive vehicle safety.”
Christoph Knotz, CEO and General Manager of Concept Tech, adds: “Joining the worldwide competence network developed by Altran will allow us to innovate faster than ever and enable us to provide new and unique services, like the augmentation of passive safety structures with active elements, to our clients in the automotive industry and beyond.”
Automotive
The automotive sector represents one of the largest industries for Altran, and is earmarked as a strategic growth priority in its ‘2012-2015’ strategic plan. In July the French-origin firm opened a new office in Mexico to serve its global automotive clients in the region, and in 2012 it acquired IndustrieHansa, a German firm (~1,800 professionals) that specialises in the automotive industry.
