Trimble’s growth in 2018 is steadily increasing, and it’s only February. The company has acquired e-Builder, a SaaS-based construction program management solution, which will add to Trimble’s portfolio of architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) software.
e-Builder Enterprise software provides Trimble with greater cloud capabilities associated with capital and program management. What sets e-Builder apart is its owner-centric approach to managing project information. Contractors and owners are able to access a central repository that includes cost, schedule and documents to ensure that construction is completed on time and within budget. The software is meant to benefit owners with its transparency and accountability, while contractors receive quicker payments and greater efficiency.
The acquisition complements Trimble’s existing owner-focused solutions, which range from the capital management and analytics software Proliance to CenterStone Computer Aided Facility Management and the space management software Manhattan Space Scheduling.
e-Builder also brings with it more than 200,000 construction projects from owners in North America valued at over $300 billion. For e-Builder, this means growth not previously possible when it was a smaller company.
Steven Berglund, president and CEO of Trimble, said of the acquisition, "eBuilder has always recognized that owners play a key role in the construction lifecycle and that their influence will be key to the adoption of transformative construction technology. Trimble will extend its reach into the owner community by leveraging eBuilder's presence. In turn, we intend to aggressively bring eBuilder solutions to civil and building contractors and the international market. We see a significant opportunity in leveraging data and intelligence gained through designconstruct workflows across the full infrastructure lifecycle. eBuilder's solutions and, more importantly, its organization provide a strong platform for significant growth."
As Trimble is a publicly traded company, it’s worthwhile for investors to know that e-Builder reported $53 million in revenue with over 20 percent revenue growth regularly in recent years. Trimble will be purchasing the company for $500 million in cash, financed in part through a $300 million credit facility.Moody's Investors Service said that the investment is a sound one, strategically, but that it will increase Trimble’s debt to EBITDA to 2.1 times from 1.6 times. Moody’s suggested, however, that, as Trimble acquires more companies, the company and its stock will likely remain stable.