FORCIT Group, a Nordic multi-talent in the explosives and excavation industry, takes new steps to grow and internationalise. During its almost 130-year-long history, the company, which started operations in Hanko, Finland in 1893, has grown from a small factory to a world-class technology group in its business areas. The business operations of the group cover civil explosives as well as their present-day technology and service concepts, systems for the defence industry and holistic consulting services for environmental measurements in construction. Forcit announced today that it has signed an agreement with O-Pitblast Lda’s owners to acquire Pitblast Lda.
The group, which invests heavily in technology and digitalisation, acquired the Portuguese software company, O-Pitblast Lda, whose global business will be integrated into Forcit’s operations during June 2021 at the latest. Following the transaction, Forcit as a group already employs almost 500 people in Finland, Sweden, Norway and now also in Portugal.
“The acquisition does not just support the goal to grow but it also strengthens our position in our current market. We have developed our systems and achieved many of our goals in the field of digitalisation. A big thank you for the achievements goes to the O-Pitblast team, with whom we have been cooperating for several years. This is a natural step that allows us to finalise the seamless integration between systems and the most comprehensive solution for optimising excavation. The fusion will benefit both current customers in the Nordics and our global partners who have chosen the software”, comments Tomi Kouvonen, the CEO of FORCIT International Ltd.
O-Pitblast Lda is a software company founded in 2016, which in a short time has grown into a significant global player in the field of mining optimisation and its overall digital planning. Continuous and innovative product development has been an important part of company’s operating principles from the very beginning, and success has been enabled by a strong belief in their product and expertise. O-Pitblast Lda will continue to operate as an independent affiliated company as part of international civil explosives functions.
“This is an exciting development and a real boost for our operations. I believe that by investing in digitalisation, we can offer our customers unprecedented advantages in processes and, most importantly, in safety and efficient use of resources. Our strategic goal is to create the best customer experience and be an industry leader in sustainability. This acquisition strengthens our capability to reach these goals. O-Pitblast’s innovative and easy-to-use solutions, as well as deep expertise in digital excavation services, combined with Forcit’s almost 130 years of experience, form an unbeatable combination and opens a truly global market for our expertise”, comments FORCIT Group’s CEO Joakim Westerlund.
The transaction is expected to take effect at the beginning of summer 2021, when the usual conditions related to the transaction have been met.
Visit O-Pitblast’s website: https://o-pitblast.com/