France’s Thales on Monday said it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) and motion tracking businesses from the privately-owned Gentex Corp.
For Thales, the deal gives it access to HMD technology that is less complex and costly that its current offerings, enabling it to pursue a wider customer base.
“This new business dynamic enhances our ability to support warfighters by providing increased situational awareness in tough environments,” said Allan Cameron, president and CEO of Thales USA. “This acquisition will help us to achieve our ambition of growth in the U.S. defense market.”
Called “Visionix,” the combined group designs, develops and delivers HMD, inertial tracking and sensor fusion technology for defense and aerospace applications, along with others that require precision motion tracking, to customers worldwide.
Visionix operates from locations in Aurora, Illinois and Billerica, Mass. The business unit has about 40 employees and its management will remain with the company.
“This acquisition is a strategic fit that complements Thales’ global portfolio of Helmet Mounted Sight and Display systems for rotary and fixed wing platforms,” said Michel Mathieu, head of Thales’ Avionics Division. “We will greatly benefit from these innovative and proven Visionix product offerings.”
Gentex initially entered the helmet mounted display arena with the view that there was need to integrate more efficient and contemporary technologies that would provide significant advantage to the warfighter at a lower cost and with more capability, the company said in a statement also released yesterday.
The company’s decision to divest the Visionix business came from recognition that the full potential of these capabilities would need the involvement and investment from a strong global partner in the aerospace and defense industry, the statement said.
The acquisition of Visionix will give Thales the ability to offer highly capable HMD technology amidst rigorous budget constraints within the market. Visionix’ motion tracking technology, sold under the brand name “InterSense,” integrated into its Scorpion™ Helmet Mounted Cueing System provides an optimal solution of choice for pilots and integrators that allows for rapid deployment as well as affordable procurement and life cycle costs, the company said.
Visionix will operate as a subsidiary of Thales Communications, Inc., a Thales USA company that operates under a proxy agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense. The business will maintain both of its existing locations with the current management team remaining in place. The acquisition is conditional upon receiving certain regulatory approvals.
“Visionix is a global provider and partner of choice for industry leading situational awareness products,” said Pete Roney, Gentex executive vice president and general manager of Visionix. “Merging our HMD and motion tracking business with Thales, a proven leader in the global defense and aerospace markets, will accelerate our ability to develop more market-defining products that fundamentally enhance our customers’ ability to perform their missions.”
Houlihan Lokey served as Gentex’ financial adviser on the deal.