Local tech firm sells to air transport IT giant

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This article was published 07/11/2018 (2838 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When MEXIA Interactive was founded six years ago by Winnipeg entrepreneur Glenn Tinley, it was at the forefront of the commercial deployment of sensors to capture basic data and information from people’s cellphones.

This week, MEXIA was acquired by SITA (Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques), the Geneva-based company that is the world’s leading specialist in air transport communications and IT solutions. A purchase price was not disclosed.

SITA, which is now a co-operative owned by about 400 international airlines, is responsible for all sorts of passenger management, baggage, self-service, airport and border management solutions.

From MEXIA’s Winnipeg office, it has real time live data streaming on its terminals from about 20 major international airports around the world, providing curb-to-gate passenger analytics and queue management systems for the airports’ operations management.

Tinley said the connection with SITA came at a time where demand was outstripping the resources of MEXIA’s 15-person staff.

“This is the culmination of six years of really hard work for a company in a small Canadian city that got the attention of a large international company,” he said.

“As big as they are and as influential as they are in the industry, to get their attention and to have them approach us was flattering and interesting all at the same time.”

As the technology has developed, MEXIA has become more successful delivering business intelligence and predictive analytics on all sorts of elements regarding the flow of people in the airports, including non-aeronautical revenue-generating data like shopper numbers and conversion rates.

“Two years ago it was ‘nice’ to have to have this technology. Now, the airports need to have it,” he said.

“We were there at the early stage. It has gone full circle. Now, there is demand for what we do.”

He said MEXIA has had conversations about partnering with SITA for some time and since it had repeated success winning contracts, SITA was aware of MEXIA’s presence.

In a prepared statement, Barbara Dalibard, CEO of SITA, said: “Airports increasingly need comprehensive and sophisticated technology solutions that help them meet the continued growth in passenger numbers while improving the overall airport experience. This is a market where SITA is strongly focused and where we can deliver real value. With the acquisition of MEXIA we will strengthen our airport portfolio, providing our customers with automated predictive analytics and detailed passenger flow management throughout the airport.”

Nearly every airline and airport in the world does business with SITA, and its border management solutions are used by more than 40 governments. With a presence at more than 1,000 airports around the world and a customer service team of more than 2,000 staff, SITA delivers its services to more than 2,800 customers in more than 200 countries generating about US$1.6 billion in annual revenue.

Tinley said MEXIA’s staff and its work will continue to operate in Winnipeg, and its ambitious growth plans will now have the backing of a company with the resources to facilitate that growth.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca