IHS Inc. has acquired Purvin & Gertz, Inc. a well-established global advisory and market research firm that provides technical, commercial and strategic advice to international clients in the petroleum refining, natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil and petrochemical industries. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The type of focused, actionable analysis and deep industry knowledge that this acquisition brings to our product and service portfolio is critical to senior executives and other key decision makers.

Purvin & Gertz is an excellent strategic fit for IHS, enabling increased depth and breadth of coverage of oil, gas, refining and petrochemical market fundamentals, allowing us to provide our customers with critical information and insight across the entire energy value chain, said IHS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jerre Stead. 'The type of focused, actionable analysis and deep industry knowledge that this acquisition brings to our product and service portfolio is critical to senior executives and other key decision makers.

Purvin & Gertz was founded in 1947 and provides technical, commercial and strategic advice globally to clients in the crude oil, petroleum refining, natural gas, natural gas liquids, petrochemical and power generation industries, and has become a preferred source for key energy market information, in-depth analysis and forecasts for supply, demand and pricing of energy product. The company offers subscription-based research, analysis and advisory services involving short-term and long-range trends in supply, demand, trade, prices and margins in all aspects of the energy business. Purvin & Gertz' worldwide professional staff is comprised primarily of chemical engineers with an average of 20 years of individual experience in the technical and commercial areas of the industries they serve.

We are excited to bring our extensive experience to IHS to help the company deliver even more comprehensive downstream energy and petrochemical content and analysis to its customers,' said Purvin & Gertz President William Sanderson. 'Our broad, in-depth short- and long-term forecasts of crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas and natural gas liquids from a global perspective are excellent complements to existing IHS upstream and chemical products and services.

More than 80 industry analysts and other professionals join IHS as a result of this acquisition, further bolstering the company's fast-growing advisory services business, which leverages the complete range of IHS information, research and analysis, and software assets to help customers solve their most complex business problems.

Following the May 2011 launch of a new suite of Economic Strategy Solutions and the recent acquisition of Chemical Market Associates, Inc., the advisory services business at IHS has more than doubled in the past year, expanding its presence into new geographic regions and adding consultants in Russia, Shanghai, Bangkok, Singapore, Canada and Brazil. IHS now draws on more than 1,000 analysts, researchers and economists covering a variety of industries in more than 150 countries.

Purvin & Gertz is an excellent addition to IHS, one that extends our upstream capabilities, strengthens our downstream capabilities and enhances our chemical business for complete coverage across the entire energy value chain, said IHS Vice President-Global Services Kevin Raby. 'Our value proposition is centered in our knowledge and ability to apply, on a customized basis, the vast IHS proprietary information, research, analytical frameworks, methodologies and automated software assets in our consulting engagements. The unique combination of our research and analysis professionals, and our proprietary information and insight assets enables us to assist our clients in making their most pressing, high-value and mission-critical decisions.

With this acquisition, as well as recent geographic and capability-based expansion of our advisory services business, IHS is uniquely positioned to help businesses make even the most complex resource allocation and portfolio decisions, and to develop growth and market entry strategies that quickly seize market opportunities, Raby added.

Tags: IHS Inc.