December 20 2015
KippsDeSanto & Co. Advises Sensor Technology Systems, Inc. and Diffraction Ltd., wholly-owned subsidiaries of The O’Gara Group, Inc., on Sale to Steiner-Optik GmbH
KippsDeSanto & Co. is pleased to announce the sale of Sensor Technology Systems, Inc. (“STS”) and Diffraction Ltd. (collectively, the “Companies”), subsidiaries of The O’Gara Group, Inc. (“TOG”), to Steiner-Optik GmbH. The Companies provide industry leading advanced situational awareness and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (“ISR”) solutions for the Department of Defense (“DoD”), Intelligence Community (“IC”), law enforcement, foreign government agencies, and select commercial customers.
STS (based in Beavercreek, OH), is a premier provider of mission-critical vision, beacon, and laser systems to support identification, surveillance, tagging, tracking, and locating, ultimately providing forward operators with decisive advantages in austere conditions, both day and night. Diffraction (based in Burlington, VT), supports STS through high-end research and development capabilities, which serve to enhance existing STS solutions, as well as develop new products. Together, the Companies have an established presence in the design and development of night vision systems, Heads Up Displays (“HUD”), and a suite of infrared imagers, illuminators, pointers, and thermal beacons. The Companies continue to build upon extensive operational expertise supporting high-profile customers and covert Special Operations Forces (“SOF”) missions. Through its partnership with Steiner-Optik GmbH, the Companies expect to deliver additional value to current customers, while expanding into emerging opportunities and adjacent markets with significant growth potential.
We believe this transaction demonstrates several key trends in the defense technology M&A environment:
• Commercial buyers seeking to acquire high-end, proprietary defense technology products to complement existing solutions for use in commercial applications
• Value continues to be placed on companies with differentiated technologies focused on ISR capabilities that improve situational awareness and enhance probability of mission success
• Importance of entrenched relationships with a diverse, well-funded customer base that supports demanding missions (e.g., U.S. Special Operations Command)
KippsDeSanto & Co. is an investment bank focused on delivering exceptional M&A and financing transaction results for leading aerospace, defense, and technology companies. For more information on KippsDeSanto & Co., please visit www.kippsdesanto.com.
KippsDeSanto & Co., member FINRA/SIPC, is not affiliated with other companies mentioned herein
LEAD INVESTMENT BANKERS
Karl M. Schmidt
Brian T. Tunney
KippsDeSanto & Co. is pleased to announce the sale of Sensor Technology Systems, Inc. (“STS”) and Diffraction Ltd. (collectively, the “Companies”), subsidiaries of The O’Gara Group, Inc. (“TOG”), to Steiner-Optik GmbH. The Companies provide industry leading advanced situational awareness and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (“ISR”) solutions for the Department of Defense (“DoD”), Intelligence Community (“IC”), law enforcement, foreign government agencies, and select commercial customers.
STS (based in Beavercreek, OH), is a premier provider of mission-critical vision, beacon, and laser systems to support identification, surveillance, tagging, tracking, and locating, ultimately providing forward operators with decisive advantages in austere conditions, both day and night. Diffraction (based in Burlington, VT), supports STS through high-end research and development capabilities, which serve to enhance existing STS solutions, as well as develop new products. Together, the Companies have an established presence in the design and development of night vision systems, Heads Up Displays (“HUD”), and a suite of infrared imagers, illuminators, pointers, and thermal beacons. The Companies continue to build upon extensive operational expertise supporting high-profile customers and covert Special Operations Forces (“SOF”) missions. Through its partnership with Steiner-Optik GmbH, the Companies expect to deliver additional value to current customers, while expanding into emerging opportunities and adjacent markets with significant growth potential.
We believe this transaction demonstrates several key trends in the defense technology M&A environment:
• Commercial buyers seeking to acquire high-end, proprietary defense technology products to complement existing solutions for use in commercial applications
• Value continues to be placed on companies with differentiated technologies focused on ISR capabilities that improve situational awareness and enhance probability of mission success
• Importance of entrenched relationships with a diverse, well-funded customer base that supports demanding missions (e.g., U.S. Special Operations Command)
KippsDeSanto & Co. is an investment bank focused on delivering exceptional M&A and financing transaction results for leading aerospace, defense, and technology companies. For more information on KippsDeSanto & Co., please visit www.kippsdesanto.com.
KippsDeSanto & Co., member FINRA/SIPC, is not affiliated with other companies mentioned herein
LEAD INVESTMENT BANKERS
Karl M. Schmidt
Brian T. Tunney