Bibliotheca to Merge With Integrated Technology Group

Bibliotheca Inc. is merging with Integrated Technology Group to form Bibliotheca ITG. One Equity Partners, the PE unit of JP Morgan Chase, is backing the new company. Atlanta-based Bibliotheca supplies flow management technology solutions for library materials. The deal will close in the next few weeks, according to a statement.

PRESS RELEASE

Bibliotheca Inc. based in Huntsville, AL and Integrated Technology Group (ITG), headquartered in Norcross, GA, will join forces as the premier American developer and supplier of flow management technology solutions for library materials. The new company, Bibliotheca ITG, will be backed financially by One Equity Partners (OEP), a division of JPMorgan Chase & Co. Partnering with management, OEP invests in transactions that initiate strategic and operational changes in businesses to create long-term value. The companies anticipate that the merger transaction will be closed within the next few weeks.

Operations in the US and Canada, where both companies are well established, as well as Latin America, where ITG has recently undertaken initiatives, will be based in Atlanta and directed by Shai Robkin, Bibliotheca ITG’s Managing Director. “The combination of these two experienced and innovative companies brings to their existing and future customers an unparalleled depth and breadth of product development and support. As a result, libraries will reap tremendous benefits from the synergies that the merger creates,” states Robkin. “There are many reasons why I am confident that this merger will be successful, but at the top of the list is the similarity in corporate cultures, most importantly the dedication to customer service. I think both Bibliotheca and ITG have earned high marks for customer service but I have no doubt that together, we will establish new benchmarks for the industry.”

“I have known and worked with Shai Robkin and other veteran members of the ITG staff for many years going back to my days with an ILS company, and I am incredibly excited at the prospects of being able to work closely with them,” says Lamar Jackson, Director of Sales at Bibliotheca ITG and formally the head of Bibliotheca’s North American operations. “The ability to offer libraries the best of what Bibliotheca’s Swiss engineers have developed together with the innovative products that ITG developers have created, is incredibly exciting.”

Matthias Joos, CEO of Bibliotheca Group, adds: “I am very proud of the inroads that, with Lamar Jackson at the helm, we made over the last few years in North America. The merger with ITG now establishes us as the premier RFID solutions provider here in America and further strengthens our international footprint. Our customers will benefit from this merger through even wider choices of great products and solutions that enable them to run an innovative, efficient and modern library.” For more information, please visit www.Bibliotheca-ITG.com.

About the Integrated Technology Group

ITG (www.integratedtek.com) develops, markets, and supports library automation technologies that empower librarians to make operations more efficient and better serve their patrons. ITG’s products include patron self-checkout, RFID, Automated Materials Handling (AMH) systems, library materials security, public computer reservation, and print management. With over 30 years experience in the library industry, ITG combines smart technology and progressive design to create standard solutions that can be easily customized to meet site-specific requirements. ITG, a division of Vernon Library Supplies, Inc., is headquartered in Norcross, Georgia.

About Bibliotheca

With global headquarters in Switzerland and operations in the Americas and Asia-Pacific, Bibliotheca Inc. is the second-largest global provider of practical, scalable RFID solutions. Based on renowned BiblioChipTM technology, our RFID solutions offer unparalleled integration with ILS systems for optimal staff efficiency as well as easy-to-use, intuitive user interfaces for both patrons and staff – all with the backing of an international company that offers true global customer service and support. Call 1-800-892- 5971 or visit www.bibliotheca-rfid.com for more details.