Aconex

Aconex Limited
Company typePublic
IndustryComputer software
FoundedMelbourne (2000)
Headquarters
Key people
Leigh Jasper, CEO and co-founder
Robert Phillpot, SVP and co-founder
ProductsAconex Platform, Aconex Connected BIM, Aconex Field, Aconex Handover
Revenue$123.4m AUD (2016)[1]
WebsiteAconex

Aconex Limited (ASX: ACX) was an ASX 200 listed public Australian company providing mobile and web-based collaboration technologies for project information and process management (also sometimes described as project management or project extranet systems), on a software as a service (SaaS) basis, to clients in the construction, infrastructure, power, mining, and oil and gas sectors.

On 17 December 2017, Oracle Corporation agreed to purchase Aconex in a deal valuing the business at A$7.80 per share (US$1.19 billion).[2][3] Shareholders approved the takeover bid on 14 March 2018; Supreme Court of Victoria approval was granted on Thursday, 15 March 2018.[4] Oracle now offers Aconex solutions via its Oracle Aconex platform.[5]

History

Aconex was founded in 2000 by Leigh Jasper and Robert Phillpot to offer construction collaboration and procurement management services (its name is a concatenation of Australian Construction Exchange).[6] However, due to low market interest in web-based procurement, it focused on expanding its online collaboration services, growing domestic revenue rapidly during the first half of the 2000s.

By late 2004, Aconex had established a presence in the UK market,[6] and was expanding into other regions, including Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Its overseas activity helped it win the 'Emerging Exporter' award in the 2006 Australian Export Awards.[7]

In September 2008, Aconex secured an A$107.5m private equity investment from US-based technology investor Francisco Partners.[8][9] It has since established a substantial presence in North America.

By 2014, Aconex had served construction and engineering projects with an aggregate value of more than A$800 billion, across all major geographic markets, from more than 40 offices worldwide.[10]

The company completed its initial public offering (IPO) of ordinary shares on December 9, 2014 and was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) under the ticker code ACX.[11]

In August 2015, Aconex purchased the Incite Keystone platform from CIMIC group.[12]

In March 2016, Aconex acquired the Germany-based Conject Holding GmbH for A$96m.[13]

On 17 December 2017, Oracle bought Aconex for AUD 7.80 per share in cash.[14]

Products / services

Aconex services include:[15]

  • Construction project information and process management (managing processes, documents, drawings, building information models, communications, workflows, audit trails, and other project information online - both mobile and web access)
  • Construction field management (managing field inspections and issues from mobile devices)
  • O&M manuals (developing digital operation and maintenance manuals for post-construction handover to asset owner and dynamic management of asset information)
  • BIM (building information modeling) data and process management (accessing and managing BIM models at the object level for project management)
  • Interface management (identifying and resolving interface issues on oil and gas projects)

In 2011, the company launched an online bidding network, branded BidContender.[16] In 2011 and 2012, the company launched Aconex Mobile - mobile applications (iPhone and iPad) for access to the Aconex online collaboration platform.[17] In 2012, the company launched Aconex Field - a mobile field inspection and issues management solution for the iPhone and iPad,[18] and an Android version followed in 2013. Also in 2013, the company launched Aconex Smart Manuals - a collaboration solution for the post-construction handover of digital operation and maintenance (O&M) manuals.[19] In 2014, the company launched Aconex Connected BIM - an extension of the Aconex platform for BIM project collaboration[20] - and Aconex Handover - a suite of post-construction handover solutions that includes Smart Manuals and Dynamic Manuals, a mobile solution for asset information management.[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Aconex Reports FY16 Results: $123.4m Revenue, $13.6m EBITDA", aconex.com. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  2. ^ M. Stewart, Robb (December 17, 2017). "Oracle to Buy Australian Software Maker Aconex". The Wall Street Journal. New York City, New York. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  3. ^ "Oracle Corp to buy Australia's Aconex for $1.19 billion". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-04-25.
  4. ^ "Aconex shareholders vote in favour of scheme" (PDF). Australian Stock Exchange. March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  5. ^ "Proven Project Delivery and Controls | Oracle".
  6. ^ a b Wilkinson, P. (2005) Construction Collaboration Technologies: The Extranet Evolution Taylor & Francis, London.
  7. ^ 2006 Australian Export Awards National Winners "2006 Australian Export Awards National Winners - Australian Export Awards". Archived from the original on 2012-02-27. Retrieved 2011-11-07.
  8. ^ "Aconex lands private equity deal". The Age. 2008-09-21. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  9. ^ "Aconex gears for expansion after $107.5 million injection", Andrew Colley, Australian IT, 22 September 2008, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it-old/aconex-secures-1075-million-injection/story-e6frgamo-1111117553725
  10. ^ "Construction IT (Finally) Completes the 'Tower of Babel': Interview with Aconex CEO Leigh Jasper". HuffPost. 2013-03-12. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  11. ^ "Home". Australian Securities Exchange. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  12. ^ "Aconex Forms Strategic Partnership With CIMIC Group". GlobeNewswire News Room. 2015-08-05. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
  13. ^ Yueyang, Maggie Lu (18 March 2016). "Aconex snaps up Conject for $96m". The Australian. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  14. ^ Oracle buys Aconex
  15. ^ Online collaboration for project information management with Aconex http://www.aconex.com/solutions
  16. ^ Wilkinson, Paul (2011-05-18). "A look at BidConTender". Extranet Evolution. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  17. ^ The Future of Construction Technology, http://www.constructech.com/news/articles/article.aspx?article_id=9407/[permanent dead link]
  18. ^ Aconex Touts Integration with New Field App, https://enr.construction.com/technology/information_technology/2012/1008-aconex-field-app-touts-integration.asp/
  19. ^ "New Product Suite Aims to Ease Operations and Maintenance Handover for Capital Projects | Cadalyst". www.cadalyst.com. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  20. ^ "Project Management System Aims to Share and Enrich Building Information Models With Facility Data | 2014-10-29 | ENR | Engineering News-Record". www.enr.com. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  21. ^ Aconex Launches Dynamic Manuals for Mobile Handover,"Aconex Launches Dynamic Manuals for Mobile Handover | Business to Business Software". Archived from the original on 2014-11-08. Retrieved 2014-11-07.