French group UTAC CERAM has announced the completion of its acquisition of the British group Millbrook. Both are key partners to automotive customers in Europe and around the world. The two companies will merge, creating what it calls a ‘market-leading’ group in vehicle testing, vehicle type approval and emerging technologies for autonomous, connected and electric vehicles. A new ‘multicultural, highly committed and experienced’ management team has also been announced and will lead the implementation of the new organisation worldwide.
Doubling its turnover, the new group says it has all the assets – its people, facilities and technology – to meet the new challenges of individual and collective mobility. It operates eight test centres around the world, including the only Euro NCAP laboratory in France, and is committed to leveraging its internal resources, international network and the support of its shareholders, especially its majority shareholder, Eurazeo, to pursue a strategy of innovation and to consolidate its markets in Europe and the world. It says its capacity to innovate and develop worldwide is enhanced by combining UTAC CERAM and Millbrook’s extensive and recognised leadership in new technologies across electrification, connected and automated vehicles, ADAS, cybersecurity and simulation.
The new governance structure is expected to enable the group to unlock added value for customers and to ensure the operational efficiency of all its activities from day one. The group said that the key strengths of the new team include its members’ combined experience, diverse backgrounds and competitive spirit. Chaired by Laurent Benoit, the new Executive Committee is composed of: Connor McCormack, Executive Vice-President; Christophe Perge, Executive Vice-President; Andrew Nelson, Chief Financial Officer; and General Secretary, and Laurent Midrier, who has just joined the Group as Chief Strategy Officer, and who is more specifically in charge of the merger and integration plan for the new group, and the strategy for mergers and acquisitions.
Laurent Benoit said: “We are particularly proud to have finalised this agreement, which represents a decisive step in continuing to expand the support we offer to our customers. In fact, we have received an incredible number of messages of congratulations and encouragement from them and from others around the world. Now to ensure the success of our new group, all our teams are working hard to merge our activities and I thank them for their incredible commitment.”
