IBS Software (IBS) has entered into a multi-million-dollar agreement with Massachusetts-based Kronos Incorporated to acquire AD OPT, a market leader in aviation software that provides crew management solutions to some of the biggest airlines across the world.
AD OPT founded in 1987 in Montreal by a group of mathematicians and operations research experts, was acquired in 2004 by Kronos, a multinational workforce management software and services company employing nearly 6,000 professionals worldwide.
The frontline crew planning and optimization platform of AD OPT currently powers some of the top airlines in the world, including Air Canada, EasyJet, Emirates, FedEx, Garuda, Lion Air, and Qantas.
The acquisition is an integral part of Thiruvananthapuram-headquartered IBS’ growth strategy to become the leading technology provider to the airline industry worldwide. Prior to this, the company has made six strategic acquisitions — three in USA, two in Europe and one in India — in its 21-year history.
IBS is a specialist in aviation software, supporting flight operations of large airlines, including British Airways, KLM and Emirates. This landmark acquisition will help the company leverage AD OPT’s deep domain expertise to provide the most advanced, end-to-end, integrated digital solution for the highly complex task of flight and crew management.
“AD OPT offers a sophisticated suite of airline crew planning and optimization products, a sizeable customer base and a highly experienced team of professionals. The coming together of IBS and AD OPT is, therefore, extremely relevant for the industry as it enables us to create the most advanced digital platform, delivering a holistic solution for flight operations and crew management,” said VK Mathews, executive chairman, IBS Group.
The acquisition of AD OPT will add more than 20 airline customers to IBS, significantly expand its footprint in North America, boost go-to-market capabilities and enhance addressable market.
“Even though we plan to transition the AD OPT division to IBS, Kronos will continue to provide airlines with world-class solutions for workforce management and human capital management,” said Bob Hughes, chief customer and strategy officer, Kronos.
