Hilti Group prepares acquisition of 4PS Group, broadening its software portfolio

The Hilti Group is taking another strategic step to further expand its software business and is preparing to acquire the 4PS Group, specialist in business management solutions (ERP) within the construction industry. Hilti and 4PS thus strengthen their position as drivers of the digital transformation of the construction industry.

Founded in 2000 in the Netherlands, 4PS is a leading player in the Dutch market and has since expanded its operations to the United Kingdom, Belgium and Germany. With more than 70,000 daily users in construction, GWW and installation engineering, 4PS has built a strong reputation for its in-depth expertise in the industry.

Shared focus on digital transformation

"As a company that works closely with customers and is focused on supporting the digital transformation of the construction industry, 4PS is a perfect fit for Hilti. We also share the conviction that there is enormous productivity potential for construction companies in optimized business processes," said Thomas Hillbrand, member of the Executive Board at Hilti. "Construction projects are complex and administrative tasks take up a lot of time. All the more reason for us to digitize processes and make information easily and quickly available." With the 4PS solutions, Hilti further expands its software offering beyond asset management (ON!Track) and construction site management (Fieldwire). In this way, Hilti is able to offer integrated solutions that cover its customers' entire value chain.

"We look forward to joining forces with Hilti," said Johan Bakker, director of Sales & Marketing at 4PS Group. "Like Hilti, we understand our customers' challenges and offer advice and support in implementing our innovative software solutions. It is an important next step for us to be able to take a leading position in the European market."

Paula Middelkoop, Director of Product & Development at 4PS Group, added: "Our customers, partners and employees will benefit from this acquisition. By integrating our services and cloud solutions into Hilti's portfolio, together we can fully focus on becoming the trusted digitization partner for the construction industry."

Shared focus on digital transformation

Both parties have signed the acquisition agreements, subject to approval by the Consumer & Market Authority (ACM). Hilti is committed to retaining the more than 350 team members, including management, in their current positions to continue developing new solutions. The company's shareholders, Wim Jansen, André Overeem and Martin Westerink, will remain on the Board of Directors to support the integration in the coming years.

The 4PS Construct software, based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, provides construction-specific functionality that allows companies to manage the full life cycle of construction projects. It gives companies in the construction, civil engineering and plant engineering industries a grip on their profitability by monitoring margins, making profit forecasts, managing resources and planning efficiently.

Customers of Hilti and 4PS will benefit from a wide range of software solutions from one supplier with a long-term orientation and a strong commitment to innovation. The partnership with Microsoft therefore remains a cornerstone for future business process management solutions.