Petards Group plc - Overview

Petards are focused on high technology security and surveillance solutions and we continue to gain strength in this specialist field through the successful targeted acquisition, integration and resultant growth of the business. Petards Group plc, then Screen plc, launched on the UK AIM stock market (LSE:PEG) in 1997.

Petards Ltd. became part of the group that year and retains software system design as its primary offering from its offices near Heathrow, London.

In 2000, Petards acquired the ProVida division of Jai A/S in Denmark. Already the largest supplier of mobile enforcement systems, Petards expanded this range to include Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems and dominate the in-car enforcement market in Europe.

Joined in 2001 by Joyce-Loebl Ltd. the group doubled in size. Joyce-Loebl specialise in the demanding requirements of Rail and Defence customers and have been active in innovative electronic engineering design since 1951. These sectors have seen continuous growth and have continued to win significant multi-million pound projects year-on-year.

In 2005, PI Vision became part of the group and brought two critical elements; the world-class UVMS software suite and an established US presence, through which it had already achieved major sales penetration. The IPR in UVMS was sold to BAE Systems plc in December 2007. As part of the sale, Petards retained sole licence to sell UVMS into selected US markets and enhance UVMS within those markets.

The addition of EIMC Ltd. in 2006, a key supplier and installer of advanced surveillance technologies to customers in the emergency services and covert surveillance markets. This business enhances the ProVida product range and is advancing those products from our Sevenoaks facility.