HITT

HITT (Holland Institute of Traffic Technology) is a Dutch ICT company based in Apeldoorn that specializes in radar systems and applications. It is one of only two Dutch companies capable of supplying radar systems, the other being Thales in Hengelo. While Thales focuses on military applications, HITT is primarily active in the civil sector. The company originated from a management buy-out of the civil branch of Hollandse Signaalapparaten, the predecessor of today's Thales Hengelo. In 2012, HITT was acquired by the Swedish defense group Saab. HITT operates in both the aviation and maritime sectors. In aviation, it focuses on Surface Movement systems—managing traffic on the airport surface rather than high in the air—and has developed its own Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS). In the maritime sector, it supplies traffic management systems for ports, busy waterways, and more recently for oil platforms located near shipping routes. It also sells coastal surveillance systems. HITT does not manufacture radar hardware itself; instead, it purchases hardware, integrates it with its own software, and sells the complete system. The company has approximately 180 employees. HITT is an Associate Member of CANSO and an Industrial Member of IALA. Its projects include radar chains along the Nieuwe Waterweg from Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam, the Scheldt radar chain from Vlissingen to Antwerp, the Waal radars near Nijmegen, radars along the Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal, radars at the IJmuiden locks, the radar chain along the Noordzeekanaal from IJmuiden to Amsterdam, Den Helder, Enkhuizen, the Wadden Islands, a system in Dordrecht, and a coastguard system in the Antilles. Internationally, maritime projects include the ports of Hong Kong, Macau, the expansion of the Port of Shanghai (Yangshan Deepwater Port), Xiamen, Zhanjiang, Cezidao, the Gulf of Gdansk, the Port of Tallinn, the Danube-Black Sea Canal, the Gulf of Kachchh (India), the Port of Ghent, and the Port of Antwerp. The HITT Groep includes sister companies: QPS from Zeist (hydrographic software), Klein Systems from Burnaby, Canada (port management software), and AD Navigation from Sarpsborg, Norway (satellite navigation equipment for maritime). The parent company, HITT N.V., is also based in Apeldoorn. In 2004, HITT formed a joint venture with Lloyd's Register called AIS Live, which set up AIS chains along coasts worldwide; each held a 50% stake. On 11 February 2008, HITT announced the sale of its 50% interest to Lloyd's, making Lloyd's the sole owner of AIS Live. During the economic crisis, on 1 September 2009, media reported that HITT had implemented ten layoffs in August, after having already reduced its organization by 15 jobs earlier in the year through non-renewal of contracts. The reduction was due to decreased demand for HITT's services as air and maritime traffic declined. When demand began to recover, HITT increasingly hired flex workers to better anticipate market fluctuations, but this proved not entirely successful due to overruns on some large projects, which made hired capacity relatively expensive and depressed profits. On 7 June 2012, Swedish defense group Saab announced its intention to acquire HITT, offering €6.60 per share, implying a total value of about €30 million. The offer was supported by HITT's board and supervisory board, and various shareholders holding 73.6% of shares agreed to tender. HITT had 188 employees in Europe, North America, and Hong Kong at the beginning of June. Saab expected to integrate HITT's activities into its own security and traffic services without problems, with minimal impact on employment. On 27 August 2012, it was announced that a Chinese party had entered the bidding on 30 July with a higher offer of €7.26 per share. HITT's management entered talks with this party. Also on 27 August, HITT's holding company announced it had reached agreement with Saab to definitively sell its 53% stake at €7.

HITT (Holland Institute of Traffic Technology) originated from a management buy-out of the civil branch of Hollandse Signaalapparaten, the predecessor of today's Thales Hengelo. This background gave HITT a foundation in radar technology, but with a focus on civil applications rather than military ones. The company established itself in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, and grew to become one of only two Dutch companies capable of supplying radar systems, alongside Thales. In the aviation sector, HITT developed its own Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS), which manages traffic on the airport surface. In the maritime sector, it supplied traffic management systems for ports, busy waterways, and later for oil platforms near shipping routes, as well as coastal surveillance systems. HITT did not manufacture radar hardware itself; instead, it purchased hardware, integrated it with its own software, and sold complete systems. The company grew to approximately 180 employees. HITT expanded internationally, with maritime projects in Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai (Yangshan Deepwater Port), Xiamen, Zhanjiang, Cezidao, the Gulf of Gdansk, Tallinn, the Danube-Black Sea Canal, the Gulf of Kachchh (India), Ghent, and Antwerp. In the Netherlands, it deployed radar chains along the Nieuwe Waterweg, the Scheldt, the Waal, the Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal, the Noordzeekanaal, and at various locations including IJmuiden, Den Helder, Enkhuizen, the Wadden Islands, and Dordrecht, plus a coastguard system in the Antilles. The HITT Groep included sister companies: QPS (Zeist, hydrographic software), Klein Systems (Burnaby, Canada, port management software), and AD Navigation (Sarpsborg, Norway, satellite navigation equipment). The parent company, HITT N.V., was based in Apeldoorn. In 2004, HITT formed a joint venture with Lloyd's Register called AIS Live to set up AIS chains along coasts worldwide, each holding a 50% stake. On 11 February 2008, HITT sold its 50% interest to Lloyd's, making Lloyd's the sole owner. During the economic crisis, HITT faced reduced demand. On 1 September 2009, media reported that HITT had implemented ten layoffs in August, after having already reduced its organization by 15 jobs earlier in the year through non-renewal of contracts. The reduction was due to decreased air and maritime traffic. When demand began to recover, HITT increasingly hired flex workers to better anticipate market fluctuations, but this proved not entirely successful due to overruns on some large projects, which made hired capacity relatively expensive and depressed profits. On 7 June 2012, Swedish defense group Saab announced its intention to acquire HITT, offering €6.60 per share, implying a total value of about €30 million. The offer was supported by HITT's board and supervisory board, and various shareholders holding 73.6% of shares agreed to tender. HITT had 188 employees in Europe, North America, and Hong Kong at the beginning of June. Saab expected to integrate HITT's activities into its own security and traffic services without problems, with minimal impact on employment. On 27 August 2012, it was announced that a Chinese party had entered the bidding on 30 July with a higher offer of €7.26 per share. HITT's management entered talks with this party. Also on 27 August, HITT's holding company announced it had reached agreement with Saab to definitively sell its 53% stake at €7.00 per share, with the transaction to be completed that same day. This would prevent the Chinese party from acquiring a majority stake unless Saab resold the shares. HITT CEO Sjoerd Jansen did not expect that to happen, citing "uncertainties and concerns" in the Chinese offer. Jansen and the rest of the board continued to give Saab their full support. On 3 October 2012, Saab and HITT announced that at the close of the acceptance period on 2 October, Saab held 96.7% of HITT shares. After a squeeze-out procedure, HITT's listing on Euronext Amsterdam was terminated. HITT became part of Saab's security and traffic services.

• HITT and Lloyd's Register form joint venture AIS Live, each holding 50%.

• HITT sells its 50% stake in AIS Live to Lloyd's Register.

• Media reports ten layoffs in August 2009 due to economic crisis.

• Saab announces intention to acquire HITT for €6.60 per share.

• Chinese party makes higher bid; HITT holding company agrees to sell 53% stake to Saab at €7.00 per share.

• Saab holds 96.7% of HITT; delisting from Euronext Amsterdam follows.

Civil-sector radar and traffic management specialist, one of two Dutch radar system suppliers, now integrated into Saab's security and traffic services.

• Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS)

  Airport surface traffic management system developed by HITT.

• Vessel traffic management systems

  Systems for ports, busy waterways, and oil platforms.

• Coastal surveillance systems

  Systems for coastal monitoring and security.

1. 1HITT - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2HITT - Dutch Wikipedianl.wikipedia.org