Kurt; This is a pretty interesting news release from Brocker today!
Brocker Investments acquires strategic position in World leading technology Integration and Development business.
Hal Linstrom, General Manager of Mergers & Acquisitions of Brocker Investments; announces to shareholders, their involvement in an unlisted New Zealand company - Highway Technologies Limited. Highway Technologies is a specialist integrator of technology solutions for the Road Transport sector. The company is managed under a management contract by Brocker Investments (NZ) Limited.
Highway Technologies has recently completed a trial of electronic charging for heavy vehicles in New Zealand run in conjunction with the Ministry of Transport, the Police and the Land Transport Safety Authority.
Highway Technologies is currently developing technology and software for a trial with the Australian Government in Tasmania, based on a similar system, which uses GPS (global position system) technology to record information about a vehicle journey for the application of user charging, as well as other uses.
A vehicle's location is fixed using GPS and a data processor in the vehicle, and this information is transmitted to a host computer. In Tasmania this will be done in conjunction with Telstra using the GSM network. GPS is already commonly used in marine and other forms of navigation.
The computer receives regular information about a vehicle's position and is able to log the distance of journeys, as well as the time of day, and type of road used, making it possible to price road use accordingly, should this be desired.
The Government is to trial electronic road pricing for heavy vehicles in partnership with technology firm Highway Technologies Limited and Advantra (a joint venture between IBM, Telstra and Lend Lease).
Highway Technologies Executive Chairman John Zohrab said the trial conducted has proven the technology is capable of leading-edge highway management, and such technology will become a critical part of infrastructure planning globally as vehicle numbers rise and roading networks come under increasing pressure.
President of Brocker Investments Ltd - Mr Mike Ridgway, believes this acquisition to be one of the most significant yet for the company. He comments " Typically our acquisitions have focussed on current earnings, with short to medium term growth opportunity. This investment whilst still in the embryonic stage has the potential to eclipse the Group's current earnings ".
Brocker Investments acquires and actively manages businesses in the rapidly growing Information Technology industry. The core operating groups are: Distribution, Technical Services, Research & Development, Professional Services and Marketing Services. Brocker Investments is a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange, symbol "BKI".
For further information about Highway Technologies, please contact www.Hightech.co.nz or:
Hal Linstrom - GM - M & A ...Ph:011 649 376 8706
Fx:011 649 376 7891
email:HLinstrom@brocker.co.nz
Des O'Kell - I.R. Manager ...Ph: 800 299 7823
Fx: 403 944 2554
emiail: brocker@planet.eon.net |
