- March 27, 2024
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Tech Data expands in Europe, opens Healthcare IT Pavilion
The European Commission has approved Clearwater-based Tech Data Corp. and Brightstar Europe, a wholesale distributor of mobile telephone products, buying Tirade, a similar Netherlands-based information technology distributor.
Tech Data is mainly active in North and South America and Europe. Brightstar, which owns Brightstar Europe along with Tech Data, is a U.S.-based international group. Triade is focused primarily in the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark.
The commission believes that the merger would not significantly affect competition in the European Economic Area.
Tech Data estimated the total value of the deal — nearly half of which relates to mobile communications and is expected to be completed in the third quarter — at $189 million, including assumed debt.
Also, Tech Data has opened the Healthcare IT Pavilion, a simulated doctor's office within the company's 6,000-square-foot technology solutions center.
The facility, operated by the Healthcare Specialized Business Unit, features demos of new medical applications in electronic health records and practice management software, document imaging, networking, mobility, storage, video surveillance and conferencing, unified communications, digital signage and specialized accessories.
It consists of two exam rooms; consultation, meeting and waiting rooms; and an office management area.
Firms conducting demos include Brother, Ergotron, Fellowes, Fujitsu, gloStream, Greenway, HP, Imation, Infonic, Kodak, LifeSize, Panasonic, Plantronics, Sage, Seal-Shield, Socket, Sony and VMware.
TIB investment approved by Federal Reserve Bank
Naples-based TIB Financial Corp. says that the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta has approved North American Financial Holdings Inc.'s planned investment in TIB, and therefore it can be consummated after a 15-day waiting period.
In late June, TIB entered into a definitive agreement with NAFH for it to invest $175 million in the company via the purchase of newly issued common stock, convertible preferred stock and warrants for common and/or preferred stock.
TIB Financial Corp. has $1.7 billion in total assets and 28 offices in the Florida Keys, Homestead, Naples, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Venice. It is also the parent company of Naples Capital Advisors Inc., an investment advisor with $169 million of assets.
Moffitt Cancer Center sells rights to new anti-cancer drugs
Startup biotechnology company GLG Pharma of Jupiter acquired the exclusive worldwide rights to a new series of STAT3 anti-cancer inhibitors developed by Tampa's Moffit Cancer Center.
“Persistently activated STAT3 is a major contributor to human cancer; validating its usefulness as a cancer therapeutic target in collaboration with GLG will be a major milestone,” Said Sebti, chair of the Drug Discovery Department at Moffitt, said in a press release.
Under the license agreement, GLG Pharma agreed to pay Moffitt when certain commercial milestones are met.
The STAT3 inhibitors are seen as a new more-effective therapy for cancer treatment with few side effects.
Tampa's Cott Corp. completes Cliffstar buy
Tampa- and Toronto-based Cott Corp. completed its acquisition of most of the assets and liabilities of Cliffstar Corp. and its affiliated companies for $500 million.
“This makes Cott a more balanced and diversified private label supplier with a much broader product portfolio, a manufacturing infrastructure that is second to none in private label and improved growth prospects,” Jerry Fowden, CEO of Cott, said in a press release.
Cott financed the acquisition through $375 million in senior notes, a public stock offering of 13.34 million shares and its existing lending agreement.
The deal makes Cott the world's largest retailer brand beverage company. With 4,000 employees, Cott operates soft drink, juice, water and other beverage bottling facilities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Mexico.
MediaLab 3D Studio launches interactive floor plan program
MediaLab 3D Studio of Tampa now offers the Interactive Floor Plan Markup Manager online tool for homebuilders to showcase construction options to buyers.
It allows users to customize features like floor types, electrical and TV outlets, electrical switches, lighting options, thermostats, ceiling fans and phone jacks. Customers can use the system at home, or with help from their sales representative, to make building decisions.
Subcontractors can visit the builder's Web site to see an electronic version of annotated floor plans. Fulton Homes, an Arizona-based homebuilder, is already using the system as a sales tool.
MediaLab 3D Studio is an interactive marketing agency that creates online tools for residential builders. A demo of the new system is available at medialab3dstudio.com/floorplanmarkup.