Belgravium Acquire Touchstar Technologies

Belgraviums announcement on 27th September that it has acquired Touchstar Technologies Ltd represents further consolidation of its position as the leading mobile computing provider of 2005.

According to Mark Hardy ( Managing Director, Belgravium ) the Touchstar acquisition makes perfect strategic sense : We have spent much of the past two years intensifying our development activities and adding to the product line. The Touchstar acquisition gives us immediate access to a further range of rugged portable devices that are totally complementary, being based around the same X-scale hardware and Windows software development platforms. In the medium-term we will also see accelerated product development activity, as the synergies enjoyed by combining the two respective development teams lead to a string of innovative new products.

Whilst Belgravium has secured market leadership within the logistics sector, Touchstar has been similarly successful in the aviation and fuel markets and can list Total, BP, Calor, and Thomas Cook amongst its impressive client base. These customers are testimony to the high quality of the Touchstar range and the professionalism of its supporting services. The overall range of products available from Belgravium now encompasses a very broad array of device types and operating systems. When you add in our track record and experience in the provision of wireless solutions, which dates back to 1987, we are rapidly becoming the automatic choice for many of todays leading businesses.

This year has already seen an incredibly high level of activity from Belgravium including ;

five major product launches ( web tablets, RFID readers, full screen terminals, CE.Net vehicle terminals etc.)

major expansion of the International VAR channel

establishment of key UK software house partnerships, primarily outside the companys traditional warehouse & logistics markets ( field service, manufacturing, meter reading etc. )

the acquisition and retention of high profile customers ( Mattel, GlaxoSmithKline, Eddie Stobart, Marks & Spencer, Coca Cola etc.).

winning the largest proof of delivery order of 2005 ( Grattan plc )

Adding a complementary organisation, via acquisition, has been a major objective of the Belgravium Board for several years. In Touchstar, Belgravium has found a partner company with an identical focus on the manufacture of rugged devices that are fit-for-purpose in demanding industrial and commercial environments.

Mr Hardy further expands on the merits of the Touchstar range, Belgraviums flagship product over the past two years has been its Windows CE-based Atlanta device. Combining the Touchstar range with that of Belgravium provides prospective customers with a further three Windows-based units for evaluation, all of which have a significantly different form factor when compared with the Atlanta. Like their Belgravium counter-part, these units have Windows CE.Net 4.2 as their base operating system and include, as standard, features such as Wi-Fi, GSM/GPRS and Bluetooth. Both organisations have extensive experience in the design, manufacture and support of wireless mobile computing devices. The main difference between the two organisations is industry focus.

Belgravium focuses on the following markets;

  Warehousing, distribution & logistics ( including 3PL )
  Field service
  Field sales
  General Retail / Mail Order
  Proof of delivery
  Ports & Shipping
  Manufacturing / Inspection
  Meter Reading

Touchstar focus on the following market sectors ;

  Energy Petrochemical, Gas, Fuel, Oil & Cylinder delivery
  Energy Aircraft, Construction Plant & Fleet Vehicle re-fuelling
  Point of Sale Van, Airline, Train, Bus , Coach, Ferry etc.
  Mobile Ticketing