Global Insight acquires SupplierBusiness Limited; Merger to create improved information products for automotive industry

17 Nov 2007

Global Insight, Inc., one of the world''s leading suppliers of information regarding the automotive industry, today announced it has completed the acquisition of SupplierBusiness Limited.

This new business combination will bring together Global Insight''s automotive analysis and forecasting services with the research and intelligence on automotive production offered by SupplierBusiness.

Global Insight, Inc. is a privately held company that brought together the two respected economic information companies in the world, DRI and WEFA. Global Insight provides comprehensive economic and financial information available on countries, regions and industries, using a unique combination of expertise, models, data and software within a common analytical framework to support planning and decision-making.

Through the world''s first same-day analysis and risk assessment service, Global Insight provides immediate insightful analysis of market conditions and key events around the world, covering economic, political, and operational factors. The company has revenues in excess of $95 million.

With this acquisition, Global Insight will combine its extensive data, forecasting, same-day analysis, advisory services, and international perspective on auto demand and sales with SupplierBusiness'' comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the global automotive supplier base through its tracking of 500 of the world''s leading automotive suppliers, and its database of over 50,000 contractual relationships between OEMs and suppliers. SupplierBusiness will continue to operate under its name and as "A Global Insight Company."

SupplierBusiness, with revenues approaching $2.0 million, 1,500 clients and 30 employees located in the United Kingdom and Gurgaon, India, provides a comprehensive overview of the trends and issues affecting the global automotive supplier sector through its subscription-based weekly Insight and monthly Analysis newsletters, delivered through the Web. In addition, SupplierBusiness also compiles and publishes reports and databases on the global automotive supply base.

SupplierBusiness also analyses the purchasing and product development strategies of OEMs, combining this with supplier perspectives through regular surveys of leading automotive suppliers. SupplierBusiness covers the business models used by suppliers through analysing strategies across key decision-making areas such as finance, marketing, new product development, human resources, and purchasing, together with their partners at investment banks, consultancies, and manufacturers around the world.

"This acquisition will immediately provide significant benefits to the clients of both SupplierBusiness and Global Insight," said Joseph E. Kasputys, chairman and chief executive officer of Global Insight. "By combining SupplierBusiness'' thorough coverage of the supply-side of the automotive industry with Global Insight''s forecast and analysis of the automotive markets, we can provide a more comprehensive understanding of one of the world''s largest and most dynamic industries. The SupplierBusiness acquisition consolidates our position as the automotive industry''s primary source of intelligence, solutions, and insights for planning and decision making," concluded Kasputys.

"Automotive suppliers are assuming an increasingly critical role in the growth and restructuring of the automotive sector," said Edmund Chew, chief executive officer of SupplierBusiness. "We are looking forward to working with the automotive team at Global Insight to develop new products and services to meet their needs over the next few years."