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Brady plc (BRY.L), the leading provider of trading, risk management and settlement solutions to the energy, metals and soft commodities sectors, today announces that it has agreed to acquire U.S. - based Systems Alternatives International LLC (“SAI”), a leading solution provider to the metal recycling markets, focusing on both ferrous and non-ferrous.
Brady’s strategy is to complement organic growth with the acquisition of suitable companies to enhance the Company’s product offering and customer base. The Directors believe that there is a strong opportunity to continue to consolidate the energy, metals and commodity software markets and that the acquisition of SAI will be a key step in developing its metals business and further assist in reaching overall critical mass and scale. The Directors anticipate enhancing the SAI business with a stronger commercial focus and believe that the acquisition is strategic and compelling for the following reasons:
- The global metals recycling market is estimated at $200 billion per annum and appears to be serviced by a fragmented array of software vendors. The recycling market has been consolidating and this is anticipated to continue, providing an opportunity for stronger suppliers to service the globally diverse clients.
- Metal recycling contributes significantly to the production of metal commodities with, for example, approximately 70% of the world’s aluminium being recycled. The Company’s customer base will be significantly increased, consolidating Brady’s position as the leading metal solutions supplier.
- SAI enjoys a leading position in the recycling market with six of the top ten US recyclers using SAI solutions.
- A number of Brady’s existing clients are already recyclers thus providing further cross selling opportunities.
- Extends product coverage with the addition of a complete end-to-end solution from scrap yard to accounting for the supply-chain management, profit margin analysis and forecasting for recycling organisations in the ferrous, non-ferrous, paper and steel sectors.
- Further increase in critical mass. The Directors believe that the acquisition of SAI will further strengthen Brady’s brand and commercial presence in the Americas, complementing the Group’s already strong commercial presence in mainland Europe and its smaller but growing presence in the Americas and Asia.
Located in Ohio, USA, at the heart of the metal and steel producing and consuming industries, SAI provides a multi-national, multi-location solution for the recycling market aimed primarily at processors, brokers, exporters and consumers in the ferrous, non-ferrous, stainless and special steel alloy market sectors and to a lesser extent to the precious metals and paper market sectors. SAI has also recently launched a new solution designed to handle supply chain management of steel mills, serving both the integrated and non-integrated mills.
SAI has been operating since 1981 and although its clients are based primarily in North America, it has also installed its software at customer sites in APAC and Australia.
Commenting on the acquisition, Gavin Lavelle, CEO of Brady, said: “SAI is a market leader in recycling software which is highly complementary to our existing market leading concentrates, refined and financial metals trading business and also provides both product and domain knowledge along with people skills, as we expand our presence in the North American markets. This acquisition further strengthens our product offering to the market by complementing our existing financial and risk management capabilities and provides new cross-selling and other growth opportunities.”
John Underwood, CEO of Systems Alternatives International, commented: “I am delighted to have the opportunity of integrating SAI into Brady plc, where our employees and customers will benefit from a well-capitalized publically-listed company, with a worldwide network that will provide us with a platform for further global expansion and increased resources to facilitate further initiatives and opportunities. We are looking forward to contributing further to Brady’s impressive growth and we are confident that our customers will quickly gain the advantages of Brady’s expertise in complementary areas such as hedging & exchange coverage of the LME and Comex”.
