Software giant The Nemetschek Group announced that it had acquired MCS Solutions, a company specializing in software for building and workplace management. The acquisition is significant because it marks Nemetschek’s entry into the building operations management market.
On August 28th, Nemetschek announced that it bought 100% of MCS’ shares, meaning that they effectively own the company. MCS’ main claim to fame is its Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS), which covers core competencies in building and workplace management for large organizations. The company had also developed a smart building platform called COBUNDUTM, which uses IOT sensors to monitor service delivery and find any inefficiencies. The company is currently serving over 1.5 million active users, most of them on a subscription-based model.
“For MCS, the acquisition means accelerated growth into international markets by benefiting from Nemetschek’s global customer and partner access, without changing its motivating culture and identity,” Koen Matthijs, CEO of MCS Solutions, said upon the announcement of the merger. “For our customers, it allows them to continue using our leading IWMS and Smart Building software, while benefiting from increased integration with Nemetschek’s software solutions throughout the Building Lifecycle.”
For Nemetschek, the benefit is equally clear. Operations management software is becoming a larger market as building stakeholders look to cut costs and reduce inefficiencies in operations, and this is Nemetschek’s first major foray into the field. “MCS Solutions is a perfect match for our solution portfolio that opens up a new market segment in which we will build to a leading market position as we have in BIM (Building Information Management) for Design and Construction,” said Patrik Heider, Spokesman and CFOO of the Nemetschek Group. “With the integration of MCS Solutions, we drive digitalization through the entire building process and are going to realize a seamless exchange of information before and, continuously, during the usage of a building.”
The hope is that acquiring MCS will help make Nemetschek a “one-stop shop” for software that supports buildings all the way through their lifecycle, from planning to construction to ongoing maintenance. Steven Lambert, MCS’ COO, says that he’s looking forward to “working closely with the other Nemetschek Group brands to make digital project information more transparent and easier to access by all parties in Design, Build, and Manage stages.”