Q-Free acquisition expands ATMS business

108 Q-Free has further expanded its advanced traffic management systems and road user charging business, with the acquisition of US company 5660 Open Roads Consulting. Q-Free says Open Roads Consulting's software solutions will be a valuable addition to its own ATMS solutions in the US and internationally.

Established in 2000, Open Roads Consulting has 74 employees and operates mission critical traffic deployments and video based surveillance of critical assets in 30 states in the US.

“We are happy to close the Open Roads transaction and are eager to move ahead. The acquisition of Open Roads Consulting represents a milestone for Q-Free. Over time the company will become a global fully-fledged ITS player with significant presence in the US.

The current acquisition is a strategic good match with other ATMS and RUC activities within the group; Q-Free's number of employees in the US increases to approximately 100 and we intend to build from here,” says CEO Thomas Falck.

The acquisition of Open Roads Consulting is Q-Free’s third acquisition in 2014, following the inclusion of 131 TDC Systems in the UK and 7724 Traffic Design in Slovenia into the Group earlier this year.

The company’s ATMS business has been strengthened substantially over the last couple of years, with the acquisition of US based parking guidance company TCS International in 2012, followed by the acquisition of the Serbian traffic management company 7723 Elcom and a strategic ten percent investment in Intelight in the US in 2013.