Monday, March 3, 2008

Computershare boosts IML unit with Machine Dreams buy

In an effort to expand IML, its audience-response business, Computershare Ltd. has acquired its distributor, Machine Dreams Inc., for an undisclosed amount. The deal marks the third such acquisition the Australia-based Computershare has made in the last three months.

The North American headquarters for both IML and Computershare are located in Canton.

IML makes communications, audience polling and data-capture systems for conferences and corporate events. The deal adds Minneapolis-based Machine Dreams' interactive audiovisual and multimedia features to IML's wireless-keypad system, the Communicator. The acquisition also gives the company a greater presence in the United States and expands the company's client base, officials said.

Over the past three months, IML has bought two other audience-response technology companies -- Ezicomms Pty Ltd of Australia and Four Points of Belgium -- according to company officials. Financial details of the two transactions were not disclosed.

IML is headquartered in the United Kingdom and has provided its services to more than 10,000 events since it was founded in 1991. The company boasts a number of big-company clients, including British Airways, TELUS, Deloitte & Touche LLP and GlaxoSmithKline.