Graphisoft, maker of ArchiCAD, has agreed to accept a two-stage buyout from Munich-based Nemetschek AG, Europe's largest AEC-based CAD/BIM vendor. Nemetschek will first acquire a majority interest in Graphisoft at €9/share, approximately its current trading price, then make a public tender offer for all remaining shares.
The move unites Europe's two largest AEC-specific CAD/BIM vendors, both of whom were early adopters of 3D modeling as as primary AEC design tool. Graphisoft's ArchiCAD and Nemetschek North America's VectorWorks are both popular with boutique architecture firms, and both are available in Mac and Windows versions. Graphisoft's newer Virtual Construction line of products are starting to gain a following among progressive construction firms in the US. Nemetschek's ALLPLAN, a 3D AEC design platform popular in Europe, never caught on in the North American market.
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"Nemetschek to Acquire Graphisoft, Uniting European AEC BIM Leaders." --RSN