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CLS acquires SIRS and stakes out a position in the field of satellite observation and monitoring of continental land masses

18 September 2017. CLS, the French satellite services provider, has announced the acquisition of SIRS (Systèmes d’Information à Référence Spatiale [Information systems for space-related purposes), a French company founded in 1989, specialising in the production of geographical data from optical or aerial satellite images.

CLS is a subsidiary of CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales), Ardian (the independent private investment company) and IFREMER (Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer).

Thanks to this acquisition, CLS – which already specialises in environmental monitoring – has further broadened its service offer and is now able to provide customers with enhanced solutions in the field of continental monitoring. Through its 25 offices and subsidiaries, CLS will consolidate its offer in Europe and develop its activity around the world with new services such as support for agriculture, regional planning, sustainable forest management, water resource management, and emergency mapping (in the event of flooding, forest fires, volcanic eruptions, etc.). With the acquisition of SIRS , CLS consolidates its position as an international provider of satellite services for the protection of the environment.

A strategic partnership

Christophe Vassal, Chairman of the CLS Management Board: “The future services will benefit from the synergy between CLS and SIRS and we expect them to be a great success. We have extremely complementary products, solutions and services. CLS already provides its customers with 30 years of experience in the field of environmental monitoring. SIRS complements CLS’s offer of oceanographic services with continental solutions and with its expertise in the field of optical satellite data.”

Jean-Paul Gachelin, Chairman and founder of SIRS: “This merger is a great opportunity for SIRS. Joining the CLS Group should boost our growth. CLS will help us develop our services abroad through its network of 25 offices and subsidiaries around the world. All the SIRS employees are pleased to be joining CLS. The Group shares our values and we have the same goal, which is to improve our understanding and management of the environment in order to make Earth a sustainable planet.”

The CLS Group had a turnover of nearly €115 million in 2016 and forecasts revenues of more than €125 million in 2017. In recent years, the group has experienced strong growth and set ambitious targets thanks to new markets.

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