Germany-based security technology group Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) has acquired track and trace IoT firm MECOMO for an undisclosed fee. Both companies are headquartered in Munich. The deal means G+D has a “complete end-to-end [IoT] portfolio for… the transportation and logistics sectors”, it said in a statement.
MECOMO sells battery-powered cellular IoT supply-chain telematics solutions, covering road, rail, river, and sea; the company, founded in 2000, claims to be the market leader in Germany for fleet logistics software. Eight of the 10 largest logistics firms in Central Europe use MECOMO’s fleet telematics solutions, said G+D. Its IoT tracking solutions attach to sundry pallets and containers. It has around 60 staff.
The deal follows G+D’s acquisition of UK-based IoT MVNO Pod Group in 2021. G+D offers embedded SIM (eSIM) technology and management solutions, enabling IoT connectivity profiles to be downloaded over-the-air and exchanged, as required. It also develops security solutions for payment, identity, and digital infrastructure.
A statement said: “With the acquisition of MECOMO, G+D is taking the next step in expanding its IoT product portfolio and offering solutions from a single source. In doing so, the… group is making targeted investments into selected verticals, one example being the logistics industry as one of the largest and fastest growing segments within the IoT market.”
Ralf Wintergerst, chief executive at Giesecke+Devrient, said: “Over the last years, we have consistently pursued our strategic goals and invested heavily in our digital portfolio, which now contributes around a quarter of our total revenue. Following the acquisition of Pod two years ago, the purchase of MECOMO now further strengthens our activities in the field of IoT. This enables us to support companies in their digital transformation with a comprehensive offering.”
Stefan Heimerl, founder and chief executive at MECOMO, said: “Central Europe is home to the world’s most prominent logistics companies. Our innovative IoT solutions have established and proven themselves here. As part of the G+D family, we will now help customers worldwide to increase their productivity and sustainability by digitizing logistics processes. In doing so, we are bringing ‘Green Logistics’ to the whole world and making a measurable contribution to protecting our planet.”
