SITA completes acquisition of Materna IPS

SITA announces that it has completed all necessary regulatory and legal procedures and finalized the acquisition of Materna IPS, a provider of passenger service solutions for airports and airlines.

According to SITA, the acquisition will expand the company’s airport services capabilities through the use of its Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) and Common Use Self-Service (CUSS) kiosks, as well as integrated biometric systems.

The border technology company says it serves 85% of international air passengers using its biometric products, including Smart Path, which automates the passenger journey from check-in to boarding.

“With these final steps now complete, we look forward to welcoming Materna IPS into the SITA Group,” said David Lavorel, CEO of SITA.

In 2023, SITA generated approximately $1.5 billion in revenue from airport biometrics, digital identity projects and other infrastructure projects. The company’s Smart Path system, which has more than 4,600 biometric touchpoints in 22 locations, was key to this record sales.

Smart Path biometric identity management system is integrated with CUTE and CUSS kiosks, allowing passengers to use their facial biometrics as a boarding pass at every touchpoint.

The integration of SITA and Materna IPS technologies is expected to increase terminal capacity and enhance personalized digital experiences, the company said. SITA said the acquisition would reduce wait times for airline passengers.

“We will now focus on unifying our teams, working to combine our solutions and expertise,” Lavorel added.

Article Topics

acquisitions | airports | biometrics | digital identity | Materna IPS | SITA