United Business Media Boosts Global Market Research Position Through the Acquisition of Allison-Fisher International, Inc.

    LONDON, June 1 United Business Media plc has today
announced a definitive agreement to acquire Allison-Fisher International Inc,
the leading supplier of pre-purchase syndicated market research to the
automotive industry in the United States.
    This acquisition, which is subject to normal regulatory approval, is the
latest step in UBM's strategy to build market-leading positions in its chosen
growth markets, providing customers with a comprehensive range of market
information services.
    The acquisition of Allison-Fisher greatly strengthens the position of NOP
World, UBM's market research business, in the North American automotive
market. Allison-Fisher was founded in 1982, over the last fifteen years it has
achieved average revenue growth rates comfortably above 10 per cent per annum.
Its market leading syndicated research surveys include studies which monitor
consumer demand for cars and trucks, automotive shopping by consumers, brand
awareness and advertising tracking. Allison-Fisher's syndicated research
analysis is a natural fit with NOP World's US custom market research
operation. Together the two companies will offer customers through their
complimentary skills and products, unique and compelling market insights, that
will help their clients make better informed and more customer-focused
decisions.
    NOP World also intends to harness Allison-Fisher's products and skills by
introducing them to the European marketplace through NOP's strong automotive
network in the UK and Germany.
    NOP World has a particularly strong presence in the automotive,
healthcare, media measurement and business information markets in the UK and
North America. The acquisition of Allison-Fisher is part of NOP World's plans
to become the leading market research supplier to these sectors around the
world. NOP World is also looking at ways to harness UBM's strong brands in
other fields to generate powerful market positions and generate additional
revenues for the UBM Group.
    Clive Hollick, chief executive of UBM, said, "United is driving to become
the leading provider of market information services to its chosen high growth
sectors. We want to provide editorial and advertising products, syndicated &
custom market research and measurement and monitoring tools to our customers
in these markets.
    "At UBM we believe we can assemble an unrivalled package of information
tools for our customers, giving us real advantage in the marketplace. Market
research is absolutely central to this strategy, and I am delighted that
Allison-Fisher has joined the team. The combination of AFI and NOP Automotive
is a powerful demonstration of what our focused strategy can deliver."
    Doug Allison, CEO of Allison-Fisher, said: "This is a great deal which
brings together the strengths of Allison-Fisher and NOP World and I am excited
by the opportunities we can develop. We will now be able to offer our
syndicated automotive marketing and communications research and consulting
services to clients in all the world's major automotive markets."
    Simon Chadwick, CEO of NOP World, commented: "Allison-Fisher is one of the
big brands in automotive research in North America. Their syndicated products
naturally complement both the syndicated and custom research offerings of NOP
Automotive, our worldwide automotive research practice. AFI is renowned for
the quality of its information and its knowledge of the market. This
acquisition further enhances our predominant position in this sector and will
enable NOP World to extend its syndicated automotive offering on a worldwide
basis."
    Allison-Fisher, has offices in Michigan and California. NOP Automotive
operates in London, Michigan, California and Germany. The addition of
Allison-Fisher will consolidate NOP World's position as one of the world's top
three companies in the $500 million research sector.

    About NOP World
    NOP World is the world's ninth largest market research company and one of
the fastest growing research companies in the United States. Its brands
include NOP Research Group, the largest custom research company in the UK;
Audits & Surveys; Market Measures Interactive; Strategic Marketing
Corporation; and Mediamark Research. NOP Automotive is the one of the world's
largest suppliers of specialist market research services to the automotive
industry.

    About Allison-Fisher
    Allison-Fisher International was founded in 1982 and has risen to become
the leading supplier of syndicated market research to the automotive industry
in the United States. In 2000, AFI clients accounted for all the major makers
of passenger vehicles in the US market, as well as many of the more 'niche'
brands.
    Its primary products include the Awareness, Intentions and Purchase
Studies used by automotive clients to determine future demand patterns; the
Automotive Image Study, which tracks the image of the major automotive players
in the US market; and AFECTS, a tracking study which assesses the
effectiveness of automotive advertising.

                    MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT -- Click Here
               http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X69398686