Plessey Co Plc, which organised an Anglo-German consortium to bid for the Autoguide electronic route guidance system last April (CI No 906), has launched a pan-European traffic control division through a newly formed international holding company. Plessey Traffic Systems International Ltd, in which Plessey will have a majority shareholding, is buying 74% of Elsydel SA of France, and 49% of the CAE SA group in Spain, both of them privately-owned car park and traffic control system companies. Plessey aims to build an international group with interests in a range of activities such as traffic lights, car parking controls, toll systems, motorway traffic controls and integrated road and rail ticketing systems. Stephen Walls, Plessey’s recently appointed managing director, said the company’s strategy will involve minority holdings, collaborative ventures and cross shareholdings, it is believed that two further deals, one in West Germany, should follow in a couple of weeks. Plessey would not reveal the cost of investing in Elysdel and CAE, but it is estimated that the proposed European network will cost up to UKP25m.
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