Spanish satellite technology group Satlink has acquired the nke Group, a French company with more than 40 years of experience designing and manufacturing water quality and navigation instruments.
The transaction creates the largest European ocean technology platform.
Satlink provides services to more than 10,000 organisations, including governments, research institutions, industrial partners, and NGOs, in more than 130 countries.
The Group has 13 offices in Europe, the Americas, and Asia, and a global network of partners.
Development of data collection
The company will close the fiscal year with sales exceeding €100 million and says the integration is designed to accelerate the development of data collection and analysis solutions for better understanding and management of the oceans and their resources.
Together the two companies will provide advanced data analytics and integrated solutions, based on proprietary technology.
nke will continue to operate under its own brand, with the management team remaining unchanged.
Inland and coastal water
The merger also includes Aquaread, a British manufacturer of portable and fixed water quality monitoring instruments (part of the nke group), expanding the Satlink group’s reach to include inland and coastal water monitoring.
nke CEO Alain Boschet will join Satlink as an investor, along with current shareholders Apheon, Artá Capital, Faustino Velasco, and the rest of Satlink’s management team.
“We are delighted to welcome the nke team, with whom we are joining forces to further accelerate our innovation capabilities, expand our solutions offering, and ultimately improve ocean knowledge and sustainability through proprietary technology,” said Faustino Velasco, founder and executive chairman of Satlink.
Ambition to make a difference
“This integration strengthens our global reach and, more importantly, adds an extraordinary team that shares our values and our ambition to make a difference.”
Alain Boschet, CEO of nke, added: “Joining forces with Satlink represents a unique opportunity to accelerate our growth and expand our international presence, while also strengthening our R&D capabilities.
“We are convinced that this step will take nke to the next level, and we look forward to this new chapter with Faustino and the entire team.”
