Applus+ continues its expansion in the US with the acquisition of Kiefner & Associates

The U.S. company specializes in oil and gas pipeline control,
and will reinforce the Applus+ RTD division's business

28 NOVEMBER 2011. – Applus+, the global inspection, testing, certification and quality control company, and one of the ten largest companies in the conformity assessment sector worldwide, has reached an agreement for the acquisition of the U.S. company Kiefner & Associates, representing a new step in its expansion within the country.

Founded in 1990, Kiefner & Associates provides its customers with engineering services primarily associated with the oil and gas pipeline industry, focusing on working closely with pipeline owners to operate their facilities safely and reliably. Kiefner & Associates offers a wide array of engineering services including failure analysis and fitness for service. 

The company, based in Worthington (Ohio), has 20 engineers with extensive experience in this sector and highly qualified in the areas of pipeline materials and integrity analysis. Kiefner has developed a national reputation as being the established leader in pipeline failure analysis. The company has 8000 square foot climate controlled laboratory focused on evaluating materials and components on their failure modes. That places it as one of the best-qualified companies to solve pipeline problems.

In the words of the Applus+ CEO Fernando Basabe, "the acquisition of Kiefner & Associates represents a new breakthrough for Applus+ RTD -- our non-destructive testing division -- in the integrity assessment sector for the oil and gas pipeline industry, in the extremely strategic market that is the United States. Kiefner's vast experience and excellent positioning in the energy sector will undoubtedly imply added value for the multinational in the country."

Iain Light, Executive Vicepresident of Applus RTD, stated “the acquisition of Kiefner and Associates further strengthens our asset integrity and engineering services for the pipeline industry and is also a positive step forward in developing our engineering and Asset Integrity Services for the offshore and power industries.” He continues “we will now leverage the experience of Kiefner as part of our global strategy to enhance our position as the leading provider of advanced services and NDT techniques to this sector”.

The integration of the U.S. company into Applus+ will give a new impetus to the expansion plans of both the group and its Applus+ RTD division, expanding its range of services in integrity analysis management. Currently, Applus+ has 35 offices in the United States, where it operates through its Applus+ RTD, Applus+ IDIADA, Applus+ AUTO and Applus+ Velosi divisions.

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Applus+, a global company in the field of inspection, testing, certification and quality assurance
Applus+ is one of the ten largest companies in the conformity assessment sector worldwide and the top Spanish multinational in the field. It is a global leader in the areas of vehicle inspection and non-destructive testing and is among the top companies in Europe in the inspection, technical assistance and testing sectors.

The company, which employs 14,000 people and saw 900 million euros in revenue in 2010, is chaired by Joaquim Coello with Fernando Basabe as CEO. Applus+, which has been part of The Carlyle Group's portfolio of companies since 2007, operates on five continents in 60 countries, and serves more than 14 industrial sectors.

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For more information:

Christian De Angelis / Núria Picas
Tel: 93 307 73 72 / 654 98 34 84
christian.deangelis@portaveu.com
nuria.picas@portaveu.com