Siemens Nixdorf acquires Covia Technologies unit.

BURLINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 12, 1995--Siemens Nixdorf Information Systems is pleased to announce it has acquired the Distributed Applications Products and Services (DAPS) business of Covia Technologies, a division of Galileo International.

The unit brings to Siemens Nixdorf's Transportation division expanded knowledge of the information technology needs of airlines and airports. Siemens Nixdorf plans to integrate the Covia group's core competencies with its offerings as one of the world's foremost suppliers of solutions for the travel and tourism industry.

"This acquisition is further evidence of Siemens Nixdorf's commitment to the transportation industry in terms of technology, professional services and delivering value-added information," said Gaylord Milbrandt, vice president of Siemens Nixdorf's Transportation division. "Our objective is to give customers a competitive edge through world-class industry expertise combined with extensive resources in network design, systems implementation, systems integration and business process reengineering. When you factor in our worldwide service and support infrastructure, it's a very powerful combination."

The Covia DAPS unit joining Siemens Nixdorf provides software and consulting services to airports and airlines worldwide, including Boston's Logan International Airport, O'Hare Terminals One and Five, and Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan as well as to Japan Airlines, EVA and Delta Airlines. The DAPS organization has also completed development projects such as boxcar scheduling and forecasting systems for railroads like Southern Pacific Transportation and route verification systems for one of the world's largest overnight mail carriers.

Popular applications developed by the DAPS unit will be available through Siemens Nixdorf as part of its solutions offerings. Examples include ResourceWorks, handling flight departure and arrival screens and gate management, as well as Intelligent Queue Manager (IQM), an application that interprets and repairs damaged messages sent within the airline industry. IQM provides significant time savings for ticket agents by correcting approximately 70 percent of damaged messages without human intervention.

The acquisition complements and enhances Siemens Nixdorf's offerings as a global leader in the transportation business, with solutions spanning the marketplace from airlines and airports to railroads, car rental agencies and cruise lines. The company provides client/server systems ranked among the most powerful in the world as well as self-service ticket printers, ticketless travel solutions and other innovations developed for the transportation industry.

"We went forward with this acquisition in part because of Covia's products and services, but most of all because of the people who will be joining us," Milbrandt explained. "Their skills sets will be invaluable in supporting current customers and to help us develop new offerings that will make an impact on the airline and airport industry." Milbrandt added that the acquisition coupled with Siemens' global strength and business excellence will enhance these new offerings and services to existing and future customers. These business solutions will be supplied and supported through the division's Competency Center established in Atlanta as well as satellite offices in Denver and Chicago.

CONTACT: Siemens Nixdorf, USA

Ian Robb, 617/273-0480

E-mail: [e-mail]