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KEYMILE agreed to acquire Aastra Networks, a supplier of transmission systems for voice and data networks. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the first calendar quarter of 2010.

KEYMILE, one of the leading manufacturers of next-generation data transmission systems, has agreed to acquire Aastra Networks, based in Backnang in southern Germany. Aastra Networks specialises in transmission technologies for voice and data transmission in private and public telecommunications networks.

Railway and power companies are major customers for Aastra’s products and solutions. After completing the acquisition, the company and its workforce will remain an independent organisational unit of KEYMILE Germany. The products will be included in the existing portfolio and in future KEYMILE will provide worldwide sales and technical support capabilities. KEYMILE’s financial partner and shareholder, Hannover Finanz, is supporting the acquisition.

The access multiplexer XMP1 is Aastra Networks’ main product. It offers network operators a range of features that enable the development of independent corporate networks and their inte-gration into wireless, SDH and ATM networks. The XMP1 was developed for a variety of applications.

One of the key applications is providing point-to-point dedicated lines in networks for voice, ISDN, data and LAN connections. Depending on the specifications, the transmission system is customisable and can be used in communications and data network topologies of any kind.

“Aastra Networks’ productions and solutions ideally complement our own portfolio in the market segment of data networks for traffic infrastructures and power suppliers,” explains Björn Claassen, chief operating officer at KEYMILE. “By acquiring Aastra Networks, KEYMILE aims to accelerate its growth in sales. Firstly, we are expanding our product range and secondly we are systematically enhancing our technological expertise. Our multi-service access systems, which enable private and public network operators to provide different services flexibly, will benefit from the investment.”

Principal shareholder Hannover Finanz welcomes the expansion from acquisition. “Particularly at the current time, we are encouraging our portfolio companies to expand via acquisitions. The current economic climate offers a lot of opportunities for strong medium-sized businesses to use acquisitions to grow. KEYMILE reacted at the right time,” explains Andreas Schober, spokesper-son for the executive board.

As an equity capital partner, the Hannover Finanz Group and its Aus-trian subsidiary Hannover Finanz Austria have had an interest in KEYMILE since 2007.