(Carlsbad, CA / London, England - January 21,1996) -- Information Management and Engineering, Ltd. (IME) has agreed to be acquired by Data Trek, Inc., part of the Dawson Holdings, PLC group. The new company will combine the market power of the worldwide coverage of IME and the extensive customer base of Data Trek, creating the first truly global library automation and services company with well over 6,500 library clients in over 85 countries on six continents.
Though formerly competitors, both Data Trek and IME are very positive about the synergy that will result from this acquisition. Scot Cheatham, Data Trek's CEO stated, 'We can now offer an unrivaled range of products and services for both large and small libraries with Windows-based clients and UNIX-based server systems. In the past, both companies have built up significant market share in the special library sector. IME's recent successes in providing large complex systems for the academic market widens the range of products and markets for us. This acquisition will provide a solid basis for growth for the combined company, adding stability and new technology for all our library clients."
Ms. Kate Noerr, the CEO of IME said "We are thrilled to become part of the Dawson Group and to participate in the exciting new planned developments -- especially in the areas of EDI and networking. The new combined library automation company will automatically become the market leader in the industry. IME is renowned for its vision and penetration of new markets, Data Trek and Dawson will increase the products and services which can be supplied to these markets."
Existing product lines will continue to be supported and active leadership in international library and technology standards will continue. The best of both companies will combine to meet the increasing rate of technological change facing the global library community with leading-edge design, mature perspective, and practical product pricing and superb functionality. The backing of Dawson Holdings PLC will ensure stability and future growth and success.
A partial list of what the resulting company offers libraries includes:
- Integrated library automation systems tar MS-DOS, Windows, Netware, and UNIX
- Full adherence to the MARC bibliographic standard, including tormat integration, UNIMARC and international variations
- SDI and X12 capabilities
- True Client/Server system architecture
- Multiple language capability and UNICODE character set standards
- Wide Area Networking systems
- Internet and World Wide Web products
- Z39.50 searching tools
Information Management and Engineering was started in 1984 by Kate Noerr, Peter Noerr, and Helen Henderson. In IME, they have created one of the most widely installed library management systems in the world. This system, in conformity with industry standards, runs under UNIX as well as MS-DOS/Windows. It is specially designed to handle the variable and irregular nature of bibliographic data and has been translated into 25 languages.
Data Trek, Inc. was founded in 1981 by brothers David and Scot Cheatham. They have successfully led Data Trek to combine state-of-the-art turn-key microcomputer technology with international library standards for the improvement of libraries and information centers worldwide. Data Trek, Inc. is a subsidiary of the Dawson Holdings, PLC world-wide family of companies.
Dawson Holdings PLC, a 550 million dollar information services company founded in 1809, has helped meet the diverse needs of librarians worldwide. Dawson Holdings has assembled a specialized group of companies which includes Data Trek, Inc., The Faxon Company, Dawson UK, Ltd., Dawson France S.A., Faxon Canada, Ltd., Turner Subscription Agency, Quality Books, Inc., and Liberia Ciencias Industria, SL. The group also includes Surridge Dawson, Ltd., a 400 million dollar, 50% owned wholesaler of magazines and newspapers. Dawson has the experience, strength and resources to offer comprehensive services to every type and category of library throughout the world.
The combined company of Data Trek and IME will have its headquarters in Carlsbad, California, with European headquarters in London, England. Regional offices are in Boston, MA and Paris, France, with local support centers in Mexico City, Florence, Italy, Prague, Czech Republic, Sydney, Australia, and Singapore. Together, with over 40 other offices and affiliates worldwide, Data Trek, Inc. now serves over 6,500 clients in all types of libraries throughout the world.
For more information, contact:
Leigh Connor at Data Trek, Inc., 5838 Edison P1., Carlsbad, Calif., 92008-6596 USA
Telephone 800-876-5484 or 619-431-8400; fax 619-431-8448
e-mail: marketing@datatrek.com
Peter Bunnell, ME Ltd. 140-142 St. John Street, London, EC1V 4JT, United Kingdom
Telephone +44 171 2531177; fax +44 171 608 3599
e-mail: marketing@ime.co.uk
