The UK has once again proved its ability to create software vendors capable of generating sought after products that are duly acquired by larger US providers. This time is it Autodesk who has acquired BIM (Building Information Modelling) assets from two UK vendors – Bestech Systems and Savoy Computing Services.
Terms were not disclosed but these are tuck-in technology purchases that will expand Autodesk’s portfolio of BIM-capable software for the construction sector. They will not impact guidance for the year. The acquisitions appear to comprise the bulk if not all of the assets of the UK companies.
BIM is the collaborative 3D building modelling approach that is spreading through the construction industry and is designed to reduce construction costs. In 2011 the UK government announced that BIM would be required on all major procurement projects from 2016 as it sought to slash construction costs by 20% by the end of this parliament, so for suppliers to the UK public sector the timescale to get to grips with this approach is narrowing.
Software providers are actively buying (and building) assets - often from small or specialist providers as Autodesk illustrates. Earlier this year US-based Viewpoint Construction Software acquired UK HQ’d BIM specialist 4Projects (see here). UNIT4, who has a significant public sector business, has also been putting a lot of work into BIM over the last year or so. BIM is a ‘warm’ rather than a ‘hot’ spot but it is heating up.