Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition

ProSoft Technology, Inc. and Octal Systems, Inc. announced the successful completion of an Asset Purchase Agreement between the two companies. As part of the agreement, ProSoft Technology now owns the full rights, patents and intellectual property associated with the OPACTS Terminal Automation & Management Systems, developed by Octal Systems. The agreement will ensure continued support for Octal Systems’ products and is seen by both ProSoft Technology and Octal Systems as a positive development for Octal’s existing customer base.

Effective January 31, 2006 ProSoft Technology has agreed to maintain the support agreement between Octal Systems and its OCTAL customer base. In addition, ProSoft Technology will continue to develop new advancements in this product area.

Source and more info: electricnet

Verano Inc., a provider of security and SCADA solutions for mission-critical industries, has acquired PlantData Technologies, a SCADA security, IT services, and industrial automation firm headquartered in Houston, TX. PlantData Technologies will operate as an independent subsidiary of Verano.

Both companies target customers in power generation, transmission and distribution, water distribution and treatment, gas and liquid pipelines, and mass transit systems.

PlantData Technologies brings NERC compliance gap analysis to the Verano product offering. PlantData assesses critical assets within the network and identifies areas susceptible to potential threat. Verano’s Industrial Defender product suite provides customers the necessary layers of cybersecurity monitoring, protection, and reporting in an integrated solution.

Source: Control Engineering

Verano, Inc., a leading provider of security and SCADA solutions for mission-critical industries, announced it has acquired PlantData Technologies, a leading SCADA security, IT services and industrial automation firm headquartered in Houston, Texas. Remaining an independent subsidiary of Verano, PlantData Technologies compliments all aspects of Verano’s business from its market-leading security solution, Industrial Defender, to its mission-critical SCADA platform and integration services, offering customers a one-stop-shop for all their real-time control and security needs.

Both companies are practicing experts in SCADA and mission-critical real-time security, targeting customers in power generation, transmission and distribution, water distribution and treatment, gas and liquid pipelines, and mass transit systems. Through the extensive experience and integration of world-class products and services, clients can now gain a comprehensive SCADA and real-time security solution through a single source.

Source: ARC Advisory Group

Citect announced that it has entered into an amended Merger Implementation Agreement with Schneider Electric Australia Holdings Pty Ltd (SEAH) (a subsidiary of Schneider Electric) for an increased offer to acquire all the shares in Citect by way of a revised scheme of arrangement. Under the revised share scheme, Citect shareholders will receive a cash payment of $1.85 per share plus a fully franked dividend of $0.05 per share. This equates to approximately $100 million for all the issued ordinary shares in Citect.

The scheme continues to be subject to a number of customary conditions including shareholder approval, although SEAH has now received all necessary regulatory approvals to the scheme proceeding. SEAH has also proposed a revised offer for Citect options under which Citect will cancel all of the options on issue by way of a separate scheme of arrangement in return for amounts of between 4.5 and 10.1 cents an option, taking into account the terms of the relevant options.

Source and more info: ARC Advisory Group

eLutions Inc. and ITA Holdings, Inc. (formerly Axeda Systems Inc.) today announced that they had entered into a letter of intent for the acquisition of ITA Holdings’ Wizcon Systems business (consisting of operations in France, the Netherlands, the UK and Israel) by eLutions Inc., a private company headquartered in Tampa, Florida.

Completion of the acquisition is subject to due diligence investigations satisfactory to eLutions, the negotiation and execution of a definitive acquisition agreement, ITA Holdings obtaining all required consents and other customary closing conditions. ITA Holdings will be seeking the approval of its stockholders to consummate the proposed transaction. It is anticipated that the transaction will close in the first quarter of 2006.

ABB India has been awarded a turnkey order worth around Rs 430 crore to provide an enterprise-wide supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system for ONGC’s production and drilling facilities.

According to a release issued by ABB to the BSE today, the system will enable ONGC to integrate its basins, plants, forward base and other assets to the corporate data center facilitating anytime-anywhere access to data and real-time performance management.

The project, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2007, encompasses site survey, system design, engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of an integrated three-tier, SCADA system.

“The oil and gas industry spans a long process chain from exploration and drilling to consumer delivery – making it critical for companies to plan, manage and optimise their assets. ABB’s integrated automation solution will enable ONGC to monitor, control and manage vital data across locations and enable faster decision making. It will also help speed up emergency response and deliver enhanced efficiency, energy savings, quality and productivity improvements”, Ravi Uppal, vice chairman & managing director of ABB India, said.

Source: Business Standard