Information and media company Access Intelligence, LLC, announced
this week the acquisition of the world-leading daratechPLANT
Conference from Daratech, Inc., strengthening its presence in the
energy and IT markets.
daratechPLANT, held every January in Houston, Texas, is the
world's leading event aimed at suppliers and users of IT solutions for
designing, engineering, building and maintaining industrial plants.
Each year, it attracts a unique audience of more than 900
executive-level delegates and 30 exhibitors, drawn from owner-operator
companies, engineering and procurement firms, and IT solutions
providers. Previous owner, Daratech, Inc., headed by well-known
industry figure, Charles Foundyller, is selling the event to
concentrate on its consulting business in this sector, but will remain
involved in the event as a consultant. No other assets of Cambridge,
MA-based, Daratech, Inc., are being transferred and Daratech, Inc.,
will continue to serve its clients with its full range of services.
"We are delighted to have the opportunity to acquire the leading
event for this crucial interface between engineering and information
technology," said Donald Pazour, CEO of Access Intelligence. "This
event fits perfectly into our stable of products aimed at executives
in the chemical and energy industries, including Chemical Engineering
and Chemical Week websites, magazines and conferences, and The Energy
Daily news and information service."
Access Intelligence is a portfolio company of Veronis Suhler
Stevenson's private equity Fund III. Terms of the acquisition were not
disclosed.
John Pearson, divisional president of Access Intelligence's
Chemical Division, added: "The industry that daratechPLANT serves is a
vital one. Our plans for daratechPLANT include focusing the conference
on the key issues of system interoperability, standards for data
interchange and integration of engineering systems with operations and
maintenance. Another focus will be the use of smart IT solutions to
overcome the current skills shortage."
Daratech, Inc., CEO, Charles Foundyller, said: "We feel very
confident that Access Intelligence will guarantee that the reputation
of the event as an educational forum is maintained and beginning in
2008 will deliver more breadth, value and exceptional content to all
its constituents as the industry moves to integrate business,
engineering, and operational information from all segments of the
plant lifecycle."
For more information on the next daratechPLANT Conference, visit
www.daratechplant.com.
About Access Intelligence
Access Intelligence (www.accessintel.com), a portfolio company of
Veronis Suhler Stevenson, is a b-to-b media and information company
headquartered in Rockville, Md., serving the chemical, defense,
satellite, aviation, cable, telecommunications, media and public
relations markets. Leading brands include Chemical Week, Energy Daily,
Via Satellite, Rotor & Wing, CableWORLD; Defense Daily, PR News, Media
Industry Newsletter, CableFAX Daily newsletters ; TelecomWeb and
Defense Daily Network, subscription-based Web sites and the Chemical
Economics Handbook and Process Economics Program research databases.
Access Intelligence also produces the leading tradeshow for satellite
executives and executive conferences for the chemicals market.
To schedule a media interview with John Pearson, contact Tina
Costilla at 650-384-4348.
About Veronis Suhler Stevenson (VSS)
VSS is a private equity and mezzanine capital fund management
company dedicated to investing in the media, communications and
information industries in North America and Europe. Since 1987, VSS
has managed over $2.5 billion in committed capital across four private
equity funds and a mezzanine debt fund, all focused exclusively on the
media, communications and information industries. VSS provides capital
for buyouts, recapitalizations, growth financings and strategic
acquisitions to companies and management teams with a goal to build
companies both organically and through a focused add-on acquisition
program. To date, VSS equity funds have invested in 40 platform
companies, which have in turn completed over 200 add-on acquisitions
resulting in a portfolio with realized and unrealized enterprise
values totaling approximately $7.5 billion. For additional
information: www.vss.com.
