Prefabricated interiors manufacturer DIRTT Environmental Solutions has been named the 2018 international company of the year by the World Trade Center Savannah. While its name may conjure images of the outdoors, DIRTT focuses on outfitting indoor environments, though it does emphasize caring for the Earth through its focus on sustainability in sourcing and installation. DIRTT deploys a Read more
Briefs
Porsche Names New Marketing Exec for the U.S.
Porsche Cars North America is bringing back one of its own to head up marketing for the North America from its base in Atlanta. Pedro Mota, who previously spent 13 years with the German luxury sports car brand in various roles, is returning to become vice president of the Americas after a stint as president over Read more
Portuguese-born Fraud Protection Company to Double Local Headcount to 60
Fraud protection company Feedzai, which was founded in Portugal and set up an office in Atlanta in 2016, is set to double its headcount locally to 60 by early next year. Feedzai offers machine learning capabilities that help financial institutions and payment platforms detect and prevent fraud. It prides itself on providing an open platform Read more
Novelis Extends Asia Reach With $2.6B Aluminum Deal
Atlanta aluminum giant Novelis Inc. has extended its reach in Asia with an agreement to buy Aleris Corp., a Cleveland-based competitor, for $2.6 billion. Upon closing in sometime in 2019, the company will be folded into Novelis to create a $15 billion aluminum conglomerate, still headquartered in Atlanta, where Novelis’ Indian parent company, Aditya Birla Group, has already Read more
ABB Completes GE Unit Acquisition, Deepening Swiss Presence in Atlanta
Swiss electrification giant ABB Inc. on June 30 closed a $2.6 billion deal to buy GE Industrial Solutions, reportedly with plans to keep the unit’s headquarters in Atlanta. The company sees the acquisition as a strategic move to undergird its strengths in power generation globally and deepen its presence in the North American market. For Atlanta, the Read more
South African Fintech Firm Picks Atlanta for North American Headquarters
Entersekt, a financial technology firm based in South Africa, has opened a new North American headquarters in Sandy Springs following its success landing major customers in the metro Atlanta area. The company uses the capabilities of a consumer’s mobile device within apps to help with authentication — the process of making sure the person initiating a payment Read more
GMS Becomes Latest Georgia Firm in Major Canada Deal
Tucker, Ga.-based GMS Inc., a supplier of gypsum wall board, has completed a $627 million acquisition of a Toronto-based competitor. The closing of the previously announced deal to acquire WSB Titan creates consolidated North American wall board distributor with about $3 billion in revenues and 240 branches in 42 states and five Canadian provinces. GMS Read more
Volantio Lands New India Airline Partner
Volantio, the Atlanta-based startup whose software helps airlines better serve passengers and boost revenue, has landed a new partner in India. IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, has become the fifth airline partner for Volantio’s Yana platform, which helps airlines manage overbooking by targeting specialized offers at passengers more likely to give up their seats. Volantio calls Read more
Winning HQ of Groupe PSA Shows Atlanta’s Blend of Tech, Auto Strength
The maker of Peugeot, Citroen, Opel and other brands announced Tuesday that it would open a new North American headquarters in Atlanta by February, adding Europe’s second largest car maker to the city’s list of prestigious foreign nameplates. But according to the French company, this isn’t your traditional auto announcement; it’s in part a technology play, a gradual Read more
BitPay’s $30M Raise Will Help Fuel Asia Expansion
BitPay, the Atlanta-based fintech company that bridges merchants and cryptocurrencies, has raised a $30 million Series B round that will fuel its expansion into Asia and into new avenues like supply-chain payments. The investment was led by Aquiline Technology Growth, based in New York. The fund was drawn to the company’s rapid revenue growth and Read more
