Trimble to Acquire StruCad Business From AceCad Software to Extend Tekla's Structural Steel Industry Presence

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Dec 22, 2011, 06:30 ET

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Dec. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the StruCad and StruEngineer business from AceCad Software to expand its construction solutions. The addition of the software products is expected to extend Tekla's industry leading Building Information Modeling (BIM) solutions for structural steel contractors to automate project estimating and management, modeling and detailing. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2012. Financial terms were not disclosed.

StruCad is a complete 3D structural detailing system for steel detailers and fabricators. StruCad provides an environment for rapid detailing automation, automatic fabrication shop drawings and computer numeric control (CNC) machinery production deliverables. The software allows effective collaboration between engineers, detailers and fabricators; enabling them to derive more value when executing structural steel projects—through reduced steelwork design, fabrication, construction schedules and costs.

StruEngineer is an engineering software enabling 3D steelwork modeling and construction management for engineering companies. Fully compatible with the StruCad steel detailing system, StruEngineer compresses the structural engineering layout and connection design in the conceptual phase to also support more rapid and accurate estimating.

"We are excited to bring together market leading BIM solutions for the structural steel space," said Risto Raty, vice president of Tekla Corporation, a Trimble company. "At Tekla and Trimble, we are focused on delivering constructible solutions to the AEC industry to help our clients improve project delivery. Together with the StruCad and StruEngineer business teams, we can provide deeper, richer solutions that enable improved productivity for our structural steel clients and offer them the opportunity to take advantage of our portfolio of tools."

In addition, Tekla will be partnering with AceCad Software to integrate its BIM structures solution with AceCad's StruM.I.S. enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. StruM.I.S is a steel fabrication management information system that connects the information flow and work processes through the steelwork contract between departments, suppliers and clients; from estimate tendering, through procurement and production and into construction. The software is used by engineering and fabrication companies to implement a dedicated fabrication management information system to manage across all departments including multiple sites or even across supply chains.

"We are pleased to be partnering with Tekla to create a seamless workflow for our customers," said Richard Brotherton, executive director of AceCad Software. "Integration with Tekla's BIM solution will further enable model and fabrication data to be processed through production."

The StruCad and StruEngineering business will be reported as part of the Trimble's Engineering and Construction segment.

About AceCad Software

Established in 1986, AceCad Software Ltd is a leading supplier of software solutions to the international structural steel industry and a member of the international RDS Group, a global conglomerate of engineering, fabrication and software companies. AceCad develops a range of engineering, detailing and fabrication management products that create significant benefits for users who rely on superior productivity to remain competitive.

AceCad pioneers solutions for the Architectural, Engineering & Construction (AEC) and Plant sectors, based on the industry leading Fabrication Information Modeling (FIM) methodology for structural engineering.

With over twenty offices and partners supporting over thirty thousand software licenses in eighty countries, AceCad is a market leader. Privately owned, AceCad delivers sustainable and advanced competitive advantages to our valued international client base. AceCad's trained industry experts are on hand around the clock to assist with your technical software requirements and to offer first class product support.

For more information, visit: http://www.acecadsoftware.com.

About Tekla

With its software, Tekla drives the evolution of digital information models for the construction and infrastructure industries. Tekla has customers in nearly 100 countries, offices in 15 countries and a worldwide partner network. The company was established in 1966. Tekla Corporation became part of Trimble in 2011.

Tekla provides an accurate, detailed, and data-rich 3D BIM(Building Information Modeling) software environment that can be shared by contractors, structural engineers, steel detailers and fabricators, as well as concrete detailers and manufacturers. The highly detailed as-built structural models created, combined and distributed with Tekla Structures enable the highest level of constructability and production control. Centralizing building information into the model allows for more collaborative and integrated project management and delivery. This translates into increased productivity and elimination of waste, thus making construction and buildings more sustainable.

For more information, visit: www.tekla.com.

About Trimble

Trimble applies technology to make field and mobile workers in businesses and government significantly more productive. Solutions are focused on applications requiring position or location—including surveying, construction, agriculture, fleet and asset management, public safety and mapping. In addition to utilizing positioning technologies, such as GPS, lasers and optics, Trimble solutions may include software content specific to the needs of the user. Wireless technologies are utilized to deliver the solution to the user and to ensure a tight coupling of the field and the back office. Founded in 1978, Trimble is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.

For more information, visit Trimble's Web site at: www.trimble.com.

Certain statements made in this press release are forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual events and results may differ materially from those described in this news release. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the satisfaction of conditions to closing the acquisition, and the timing of such closing; Trimble's and Tekla's ability to successfully extend Tekla's BIM solutions through the acquisition of the StruCAD and StruEngineer businesses, and to provide deeper, richer integrated solutions. Additional risks and uncertainties include: the risks inherent in integrating an acquisition; unanticipated expenditures, charges or assumed liabilities that may result from the acquisition; and retaining key personnel and commercial relationships.Information about potential factors which could affect Trimble's business and financial results is set forth in reports filed with the SEC, including Trimble's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its annual report on Form 10-K. All forward looking statements are based on information available to Trimble as of the date hereof, and Trimble assumes no obligation to update such statements.

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SOURCE Trimble