Multiple geotechnology companies acquire new assets.(NEWSLINK)

During summer 2005, a variety of the geotechnology industry's major companies acquired existing firms to consolidate assets, market share and intellectual property.

Autodesk Inc., San Rafael, Calif., acquired all outstanding shares of c-plan AG, a European GIS company whose customers include more than 2,000 users in 700 municipalities and utility companies.

The purchase price for shares of the Gumligen, Switzerland-based developer of TOPOBASE geospatial applications and data management solutions was approximately $18 million plus net working capital.

Autodesk will offer c-plan solutions in key European markets and will continue supporting TOPOBASE software customers. In addition, Autodesk intends to incorporate c-plan's expertise in its continued development of data management solutions built with open industry standards and featuring Autodesk Map 3D and Autodesk MapGuide software. The combined technologies are expected to provide users with the engineering precision and information-management flexibility required for today's multi-user infrastructure applications.

"We are pleased to welcome and integrate c-plan's employees and technology with ours," said Chris Bradshaw, vice president of Autodesk Infrastructure Solutions Division. "Since 1998, c-plan has grown more than 20 percent every year by offering open geospatial solutions based on Oracle that work with Autodesk, ESRI, Intergraph and other GIS applications."

For additional information, visit the Autodesk Web site at www.autodesk.com.

Bentley Systems Inc., Exton, Pa., acquired Optram Inc., a Maynard, Mass.-based supplier of software for railway track maintenance. Optram's users are some of the largest freight and passenger operators in the world.