IMI expands technology portfolio with VIA optronics acquisition

VIA founder Jürgen Eichner will retain a 24% ownership and continue to lead VIA as Managing Director, reporting to Arthur R. Tan, IMI’s chief executive officer. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to IMI’s earnings per share starting 2017. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2016. Alpina Partners is selling all of its 55% shareholding as part of the transaction. Alpina Partners has been a shareholder in VIA since June 2010. Optical bonding is a technology that enhances the visibility and performance of display systems, especially for outdoor use. The technology also enhances the quality, throughput and efficiency of the display system integration process. VIA’s experience in high reliability markets matches IMI’s existing offerings in the automotive, industrial and medical markets. “This transaction represents a unique opportunity to accelerate IMI’s growth and broaden VIA’s opportunities by leveraging off of IMI’s global footprint and resources,” Tan said. Together, IMI and VIA will be best positioned to revolutionize the way the world experiences vision and touch on displays. We believe the acquisition will allow IMI to strengthen its partnerships with customers by offering complementary automotive camera and display monitor solutions for advanced driver assistance systems. We look forward to further developing and utilizing the synergies between the two companies.” “We announce today an exciting next chapter for VIA, as we have found the perfect strategic partner that is aligned with our values and growth ambitions,” Eichner said. “Once combined, we will have the scale to introduce our patented technology into automotive camera monitor systems for increased safety and effectivity. IMI has a great cultural fit with our organization and I am excited for our employees to benefit from the long-term prospects of being part of IMI.”