Hexagon expands within machine automation for mining

Hexagon has entered into an agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of Jigsaw Technologies in Tucson, Arizona, USA.

Jigsaw develops and supplies software for fleet management, the largest area of the measurement technologies market segment machine control for mining. The company's products are used mainly for coal or mineral open pit mining.

Jigsaw was founded in year 2004 and today employs 17 people. The business has developed tremendously. Jigsaw sales in 2007 are estimated to more than 9 MUSD.

"The acquisition of Jigsaw is a vital piece in Hexagon's growth strategy and commitment to global expansion within the measurement technologies market segment machine control for mining. We are today active in the field of high precision mine machine monitoring via our subsidiary Leica Geosystems in Brisbane, Australia. The product portfolio of Jigsaw in the field of fleet management will complement our existing product offering and provide our customers in the mining industry with a more complete concept. We will also be able to reach synergies in sales and marketing as Jigsaw's strong position in the Americas complement Leica Geosystems' position in Australia and South Africa", says Ola Rollén, CEO and President of Hexagon AB.

Jigsaw will be consolidated as of 1 May 2007 and will immediately contribute to Hexagon's earnings.

In recent years the world market for machine control has grown at a rate of about 25 per cent per annum and can today be estimated to about 5 500 MSEK. Market growth is driven particularly by the need for increased efficiency of infrastructure machines in the construction, agricultural and mining industries across the world.