Penton’s TU-Automotive Acquisition Complements WardsAuto

Penton’s acquisition of U.K.-based TU-Automotive significantly bolsters the company’s presence in the automotive sector already anchored by WardsAuto.

The purchase from FC Business Intelligence, announced today, will see TU-Automotive join WardsAuto and trucking-related properties of FleetOwner, FleetSeek, Trailer/Body Builders and American Trucker as part of Penton’s Ground Transportation group. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

TU-Automotive’s business is focused on premiere events, networking, content and analysis on the current topics of connected vehicles, mobility, autonomous driving and the downstream implications to related industries.

It currently produces 13 events including the world’s largest connected car and mobility conference and exposition, TU-Automotive Detroit, plus flagship events TU-Automotive Europe, TU-Automotive Japan and The Consumer Telematics Show, taking place tomorrow, Jan. 5, in advance of the CES 2016 opening in Las Vegas.

In addition, TU-Automotive also provides market-leading digital content, analysis, education and business intelligence through its communications hub, analysis.tu-auto.com.

TU-Automotive fits nicely with WardsAuto in the light-vehicle sector, with its events and content business complementing WardsAuto’s information and insights business with little overlap. The acquisition also broadens Penton’s automotive reach outside North America.

“TU-Automotive offers the most respected, high profile platforms to expand Penton Ground Transportation’s reach beyond the U.S. into Europe, South America and Asia, with a core hub of operations in London,” says Sue Boehlke, vice president-Ground Transportation group. “We look forward to TU-Automotive becoming part of the Penton family.”

In addition to its subscription-based website, updated daily, WardsAuto produces digital newsletters and magazines focused on the automotive OE and retail sectors, hosts quarterly Outlook conferences highlighting market trends, conducts an annual Interiors conference, develops key industry data, produces in-depth analytical reports and presents annual 10 Best Engines and 10 Best Interiors awards.

“A key element of our strategy is to focus on our core sectors and extend leadership positions,” Penton CEO David Kieselstein says in announcing the TU-Automotive purchase. “This acquisition does just that for us in the Ground Transportation segment.

The purchase also is seen as strengthening Penton’s planned product launches around the Internet of Things (IoT) in 2016.

“IoT and connected devices are a major theme across Penton, impacting many of our industry sectors including ground transportation, aviation, agriculture, technology and electronics. Companies and factories that are connected are more productive and the implications for innovation through IoT are tremendous,” Kieselstein says.