Ultra strenghens forensic service with £50m acquisition of CSI Montreal

DEFENCE supplier Ultra has strengthened its presence in the forensic science sector with the £50m acquisition of a Canadian company.

Ultra, which has operations in Birmingham and Staffordshire, has agreed a cash deal for Montreal-based Forensic Technology worth an initial £50.7m (CAD $94m).

Additional payments of up to $6m will be made subject to earnings growth over the next two years.

Ultra has agreed to acquire Forensic Technology from private investors and its management team, which includes the company’s founder. The core management team will stay with the business.

Forensic Technology, which employs 253 people across five offices around the globe, provides automated firearm ballistics identification and forensic analysis systems to law enforcement agencies in over 65 countries.

The firm will continue to operate from its existing facilities as a bolt-on acquisition to Ultra’s Tactical & Sonar Systems Division.

Rakesh Sharma, chief executive of Ultra, said: “I am pleased with the acquisition of Forensic Technology. It has established a strong position in the international market place and its technologies and capabilities complement Ultra’s broader law enforcement, security and data analytic offerings. This provides an important step in building our portfolio in the security sector.”