STUTTGART, Germany, March 25, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The internationally active expert organisation DEKRA acquires 100% of the Swedish industrial testing inspection provider AF-Kontroll AB. The purchase agreement was signed on the 25th of March in Stockholm. AF-Kontroll, a former subsidiary of AF AB, is a leading industrial testing company in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. The listed AF AB is a technical consulting company that wants to focus on its core business. Through this acquisition DEKRA becomes market leader in terms of inspection and testing of power plants in Scandinavia.
AF-Kontroll plans to generate 46 Mio. Euro sales with 450 employees in 2010. The company is specialized in inspection and non-destructive testing (NDT), in particular in power plants and heavy process industries. Furthermore, AF-Kontroll holds accreditations for the inspection of pressure vessels, lifts and machines as well as for rail. AF-Kontroll has 27 locations in Sweden and subsidiaries in Norway, the Czech Republic and Lithuania.
This acquisition is a milestone, which enables DEKRA to take a decisive step towards our goal of positioning ourselves as the European leading testing and inspection provider for the energy industry, said Stefan Kolbl, Chairman of the Management Board of DEKRA AG and DEKRA e.V. Together with the Finnish subsidiary DEKRA Industrial Oy (former Polartest Oy) DEKRA is now the market leader in the power plant industry in Scandinavia. With the acquisition of this highly profitable company we furthermore strengthen our presence in Northern Europe and the important emerging countries in Eastern Europe.
AF-Kontroll generates a major part of its sales with non-destructive testing of components. With the mechanised ultrasonic testing, AF-Kontroll possesses a high quality testing method for the main components of nuclear power plants. For DEKRA, the acquisition means a considerable increase in know-how. DEKRA can offer a comprehensive range of services with material testing and inspection services to help power plant operators improve safety and reliability cost effectively, says Mark Thoma, member of the Management Board of DEKRA AG and head of the Business Unit Industrial.
DEKRA has expanded the international industrial inspection business within the last years and turned it into the second largest business segment within DEKRA. Just recently, DEKRA acquired the Dutch product testing provider KEMA Quality. This marked the second largest acquisition of DEKRA's history since the takeover of French NORISKO in 2005. DEKRA Industrial plans to reach a sales volume of 500 Mio. Euro with 5,000 employees in 2010.
About DEKRA
DEKRA is an internationally focused expert organisation committed to safety and quality in the everyday relationship between human beings and technology, the environment and mobility. DEKRA currently maintains a presence in 29 countries in Europe as well as in the USA, Brazil, North and South Africa, Israel, Japan, and China. More than 21,000 employees take care of safety, quality and environment protection. DEKRA AG is 100 percent owned by DEKRA e.V. and responsible for the operative business. Three business units of DEKRA AG, i.e. DEKRA Automotive, DEKRA Industrial and DEKRA Personnel provide competent and innovative services in the fields of vehicle testing, expert appraisals, industrial services, certification, environmental and building monitoring, qualification, temporary work, out- and new placement, consulting as well as international claims settlement. In 2009, DEKRA realised revenues of approximately 1.7 billion Euro.
DEKRA e.V. Presse Information Handwerkstrasse 15 D-70565 Stuttgart http://www.dekra.de Stephan Heigl +49(0)7-11-78-61-28-75 +49(0)7-11-78-61-27-00 stephan.heigl@dekra.com
SOURCE: DEKRA AG
CONTACT: DEKRA e.V., Presse Information, Handwerkstrasse 15, D-70565Stuttgart ; Stephan Heigl, +49(0)7-11-78-61-28-75, +49(0)7-11-78-61-27-00,stephan.heigl@dekra.com
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