Trend Communications Ltd (Trend), a Telemetrix subsidiary and a leading supplier of portable broadband test equipment, and which has recently launched its next generation of test equipment for ATM and ADSL services, has acquired ICT, a Barcelona based supplier of handheld equipment for testing PDH/SDH/SONET transmission technologies used in high speed digital networks.

ICT has a long established history in the development and production of portable transmission test equipment. Intense engineering and product development is currently undertaken by 21 development engineers with substantial transmission technology expertise. This has led to a product range which is technically innovative and compares favourably with other available offerings in the market at present.

In the year ended 31 December 1999, ICT’s operating profit was Euro 1.2m (£0.8m) from a turnover of Euro 5.3m (£3.5m). ICT’s net assets as at 31 December 1999 were Euro 4.9m (£3.0m). These figures have been restated to accord with the Company’s accounting policies and UK GAAP.

The acquisition of ICT completes the range of technologies addressed by Trend’s family of field deployable test equipment and will enable Trend to meet the full needs of its customers. Telemetrix believes it can derive significant sales benefits through the marketing of ICT’s products through its direct sales outlets in the main European markets of Germany, France, United Kingdom and Italy where previously ICT has only been represented by distributors, and through the selling of Trend’s products through ICT’s direct channels in Spain.

Commenting on the Acquisition, Tim Curtis, Chief Executive of Telemetrix, said:

We are delighted to have acquired ICT. ICT is highly complementary to our existing business. We see significant opportunities to sell ICT’s products through Trend’s international sales channels and to extend our product offering to key customers. We have been impressed with the capability of ICT to develop products for new high-growth networking technologies. We expect this transaction to be immediately earnings enhancing, before taking into consideration amortisation of goodwill.

Telemetrix was advised on the purchase of ICT by Close Brothers Corporate Finance Limited.