Interview with Hexagon’s President & CEO

Ola Rollén’s Views on Market Developments

 

Ola Rollén, President CEO of Hexagon Group

Hexagon is a global technology group with strong market positions within measurement technologies and polymers. Hexagon’s prime business is Hexagon Measurement Technologies, the world leader in multidimensional measurements within the macro and micro segments of the measurement and positioning market. Operations encompass hand tools, fixed and portable coordinate measuring machines, GPS systems, level meters, laser meters, total stations, sensors for airborne measurement, aftermarket services and software systems for one, two or three-dimensional measurements. The company was quite active recently with acquisitions in the geospatial market, making it just the right time for an interview with Ola Rollén, President and CEO of Hexagon AB.

 

 

 

The acquisition of Leica Geosystems added the macro segment to the Hexagon product portfolio. Since the acquisition we have been focusing on developing new products for the growth areas we have identified in the measurement technologies market. The development of these products is based on a combination of Hexagon’s and Leica Geosystems’ technologies. The first products from these efforts will be launched this year.

 

Please outline some transaction highlights of Hexagon’s recent acquisition of leading GNSS provider NovAtel Inc. and its financial impact to Hexagon. What is a rationale of the combination of the two companies?

 

We expect NovAtel to be a cornerstone in the Hexagon OEM technology strategy and act as a growth platform in the area of GPS, GNSS, communication and other complementary technologies. As an industry leader in GNSS technology, NovAtel will provide highly integrated, precise positioning products for our customers, and develop new and complementary technologies to expand into new segments and markets.

 

What are Hexagon’s goals in the overall GNSS market? Why is strengthening your strategic position in the high precision GNSS market so important?

 

Our goal is to deliver solutions that cover all aspects and constellations within the current segments, as well as, future applications in the GNSS market. That will not only include GNSS but also RTK and other communication technologies.

 

With the development of multi GNSS constellations, where do you see the main possibilities for Hexagon in opening up previously closed markets for GNSS applications?

 

With four global satellite net works and at least two regional net works under way we will be able to determine positions in areas where it previously was impossible to receive the signals such as urban areas, areas covered with foliage etc. Furthermore the time that it will take to determine ones position will be significantly reduced. Security is another aspect; with several independent constellations you will be able to trust your GNSS instrument in spite of a failure to access one constellation or political unrest in certain parts of the world. 

 

Recently Hexagon acquired CogniTens Ltd., a 3D non contact optical measurement techno­lo­gies company in Israel. How will you combine these new technologies with the Leica Geosystems measurement technologies?

 

CogniTens gives Hexagon an exciting new technology in the high speed, non contact, shop floor measurement and scanning segment of the metrology market. This enables us to position Hexagon in all segments of the rapidly growing non contact sheet metal market combining CogniTens 3D measurement products with the laser tracker and TPS technologies from Leica Geosystems as well as the articulated arms technologies from Hexagons subsidiaries Romer and Cimcore.

 

Leica Geosystems also closed some acquisitions recently, like ER Mapper and Ionic Software. What synergies do you expect from these acquisitions?

 

These acquisitions underlines Hexagon’s growth strategy and commitment to the geospatial imaging market. ER Mapper complements Hexagon’s software range and will add additional intellectual property to our group in compression technologies and image web serving technologies of geospatial imagery. Ionic Software will complement and add to Hexagon’s increasing software offerings for enterprise and distributed computing. Ultimately these new products will enable the GIS society to move from desk top to server environments.

 

What are the Hexagons’s most important strategic research and development areas within the macro in micro measurement technologies?

 

Strategic development areas include software development, new sensor technologies, distance measurement and calibration and compensation technology, GNSS, and communications.

 

How does Hexagon combine innovativeness in management with the innovativeness of its engineering teams? Which general innovation approach is preferred in your company – the so called open innovation or a strictly organised innovation?

 

Hexagon’s central R&D unit closely follows market developments and trends worldwide. We look to find new technologies to be applicable to our existing customer segments, but also to find new customer segments for our existing technologies.

 

To Hexagon entrepreneurship is key. An important part of the work of Hexagon’s management is to create a work environment in a true entrepreneurial spirit that encourages creativity and freethinking.

 

What is your future brand strategy, knowing that Hexagon’s brand portfolio comprises of brands with a strong tradition, well known in their sectors and geographical regions?

 

We will continue to use a multi brand strategy, i.e. to use different brands for different customer groups or in different geographical markets.

 

Hexagon continuously analyzes more than 200 acquisition candidates worldwide, primarily to complement operations in Hexagon Measurement Technologies. With this fact in mind, what is your acquisition strategy for 2008?

 

The acquisition strategy going forward is to close four to ten acquisitions per year to

complement our measurement technologies business. We are to strengthen our presence in some geographical areas, but also to add new technologies to the product portfolio of the Hexagon Group.

 

Joc Triglav jtriglav@geoinformatics.com is a contributing editor of GeoInformatics. Have a look at www.hexagon.se