Arlington Capital Partners and its Portfolio Company, AeroMetric to Create Quantum Spatial Through the Acquisitions of Photo Science and Watershed Sciences
WASHINGTON, DC, September 4, 2013 – Arlington Capital Partners, through its portfolio company AeroMetric, Inc. (“AeroMetric”), today announced the entry into definitive agreements to acquire GMR Aerial Surveys, Inc. (d/b/a “Photo Science”) and Watershed Sciences, Inc. (“WSI”) to create Quantum Spatial, Inc. (“Quantum Spatial”), the largest provider of location-based tools, analytics and data focused on the North American market. Quantum Spatial utilizes proprietary software tools and applications to create geospatial solutions often delivered in a fully-hosted environment and tailored to provide clients with a unique portal through which they can better understand and interact with geospatial data. Pat Olson, former Chief Executive Officer of AeroMetric, will become Chief Executive Officer of Quantum Spatial. Michael Ritchie, the President and CEO of Photo Science, will serve as the COO of Quantum Spatial and Matt Boyd and Russ Faux, former Co-CEO’s of WSI, will serve on the Executive Committee of Quantum Spatial and will lead the Solutions Applications effort across all industries.
“We are excited to be joining the Quantum Spatial team. Excellence in geospatial services and solutions is at the heart of what we all do, and we know the unmatched capabilities of our combined company will provide increased benefits to our clients,” said Mike Ritchie.
“This is an exciting time for the geospatial industry,” said Matt Boyd, Co-CEO of WSI. “We are continuously increasing the amount of information our clients can glean from the data and we ask our employees to push the boundaries every day.” Russ Faux, Co-CEO of WSI commented, “This is an exciting combination for WSI, we will continue to serve our existing customers while bringing additional expertise and products from our new partners.”
The transaction creates the leader in geospatial software and services in North America, serving a diverse group of private and public sector end markets including: energy, transportation, utilities, environmental, forestry, mining, national security customers, federal agencies, state and local government and numerous commercial clients. Speaking on the transformative transaction, Pat Olson, Chief Executive Officer of Quantum Spatial, said, “We have always admired Photo Science and WSI as competitors and look forward to bringing these strong organizations together. Our company will be unmatched in its capabilities and benefit from a depth of expertise and intellectual property.”
Peter Manos, a Managing Partner at Arlington Capital Partners commented, “Arlington is pleased to further invest in the creation of Quantum Spatial. We believe the future of geospatial services and solutions will be led by those that can provide the most insight from increasingly abundant geospatial data. There is tremendous value in geospatial information and we expect this industry to continue its current growth trajectory.”
“Quantum Spatial has the scale to dedicate significant resources towards developing the next generation of location-based tools and analytics to help our customers transform data into solutions. Helping our customers to make better decisions will drive Quantum Spatial’s success,” said David Wodlinger, a Principal at Arlington Capital Partners.
About Arlington Capital Partners
Arlington Capital Partners is a Washington, D.C.-based private equity firm with $1.5 billion of committed capital focused on middle market investment opportunities in growth industries including: software, government contracting, aerospace/defense, healthcare services, business services and education. The firm’s professionals and network have a unique combination of operating and private equity experience that enables Arlington to be a value-added investor. Arlington invests in companies in partnership with high quality management teams that are motivated to establish and/or advance their company’s position as leading competitors in their field. For more information please visit www.arlingtoncap.com
About Quantum Spatial
Quantum Spatial is the largest provider of location-based tools, analytics and data focused on the North American market. Quantum Spatial utilizes proprietary software tools and applications to create geospatial solutions often delivered in a fully-hosted environment and tailored to provide clients with a unique portal through which they can better understand and interact with geospatial data. Quantum Spatial delivers professional services and solutions for clients across all industry verticals with specialized expertise in energy, transportation, utilities, environmental, mining, national security, federal agencies, state and local government and commercial applications. For more information please call 1-855-255-5212 or visit www.quantumspatial.com
About AeroMetric
Aero-Metric, Inc. (AeroMetric) is a full-service geospatial solutions company built on over eight decades of consistent, quality service and enduring client relationships. The firm offers a comprehensive range of on target geospatial solutions, from the latest in enterprise GIS on-premise and in the cloud, to professional mapping services including photogrammetric, LiDAR, satellite, and airborne imaging technology. AeroMetric is a client-focused professional firm that has earned a reputation for technical excellence, superior service, and on-time, on-budget delivery. For more information please visit www.aerometric.com
About Photo Science
Photo Science, Inc. (Photo Science) is a geospatial solutions provider specializing in aerial acquisition (imagery and LiDAR), data collection/processing, photogrammetric mapping, mobile mapping, remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), systems integration, and GPS surveying services. For more information please visit www.photoscience.com
About WSI
Watershed Sciences, Inc. (WSI) specializes in utilizing applied airborne remote sensing data capture and analysis to develop a variety of assessment, visualization, and software solutions. The firm has earned a reputation for providing innovative professional solutions for clients in utility, commercial forestry, natural resource management, utilities, energy, and green technology. These proprietary methodologies and solutions have served to empower project stakeholders to maximize the use of geospatial information in their internal business practices. For more information please visit www.watershedsciences.com
Contact:
Peter Manos or David Wodlinger
Arlington Capital Partners
5425 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 200
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
(202) 337-7500
SOURCE: Arlington Capital Partners and BrightStar Education Group, Inc.