Masternaut
 Former logo of Masternaut | |
| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telematics |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Serge Deleau |
| Headquarters | London, England, UK |
Key people | Dhruv S. Parekh (CEO) |
| Parent | Michelin |
| Website | www |
Masternaut Limited is a British telematics company that provides fleet management, fleet management software, asset tracking, and vehicle tracking services. It has been a subsidiary of Michelin since 2019 and operates under the brand MICHELIN Connected Fleet, having previously traded as Masternaut.
History
[edit]The company was founded in France in 1996 by Serge Deleau as SDM.[1]
During the late 2000s, the UK telematics provider Cybit made several acquisitions in the sector, including Thales Telematics from Thales Group in 2007[2] and the German telematics provider Truck24 in 2008 for €4 million.[3] In 2009, private equity firm Francisco Partners acquired Cybit Holdings plc in a £23 million deal, taking the company private.[4]
In 2011, Francisco Partners merged Masternaut with Cybit in a deal valued at £100 million.[1] Two years later, the combined business acquired Three X, a mobile workforce management software company, from GE.[5] In 2014, Masternaut was sold to Summit Partners and Fleetcor,[6] and Dhruv S. Parekh was appointed chief executive officer in 2015.[7]
Michelin acquired Masternaut in 2019 as part of its expansion into fleet telematics services.[8]
Operations
[edit]Masternaut's services use GPS technology to support automatic vehicle location, asset tracking, and vehicle tracking, with data transmitted over GPRS and GSM mobile networks and made available to customers through a web-based platform, Masternaut Connect.
Hardware can be installed via a vehicle's CAN bus, its OBD-II port, or a 12-volt socket. The company has signed factory-fit telematics agreements with vehicle manufacturers including Vauxhall, PSA and Renault,[9] and supplies pre-equipped vehicles through fleet-leasing companies including Fraikin, Petit Forestier and Lex Autolease.[10]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "New tracking business formed in merger". Growth Business. 12 April 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ↑ "Cybit acquires Thales Telematics". Computer Weekly. 16 February 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ↑ "CybIT acquires TRUCK24 for total 4 mln euros". LSE. April 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ↑ "Europe News: Francisco Clinches Cybit Deal". EBSCO Host. December 2009. Archived from the original on 18 August 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ↑ "Tracking move". Fleet News. 10 October 2006. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ↑ "Telematics provider Masternaut bought by Summit Partners and FleetCor". Fleet News. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ↑ "Masternaut Appoints Dhruv S. Parekh as chief executive officer". Fleet News. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
- ↑ "Michelin to acquire Masternaut". Fleet News. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
- ↑ "PSA Group partners with Masternaut to provide telematics to fleets". Fleet News. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ↑ "Fraikin and Masternaut team up in Europe to offer a commercial telematics solution". PR Newswire. January 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2019.