Through its subsidiaries, the company has an existing presence in Europe and the United States, supplying more than 2,500 sites in 20 countries.
PARIS – Ardian, an independent private investment company, announces the acquisition of a minority stake in Ariane Systems, the leader in self check-in technology solutions for the hospitality industry, for 3 million euros. Ardian’s investment will allow the founders of Ariane Systems to regain control of the group, and will provide a partner to accelerate the firm’s international expansion.
Founded in 2001 by Laurent Cardot and Michel Lavandier, Ariane Systems provides hotels with innovative tools to improve their customer experience. It provides online software to streamline the check-in and check-out process, along with self-service kiosks and keycard dispensers.
Through its subsidiaries, the company has an existing presence in Europe and the United States, supplying more than 2,500 sites in 20 countries.
Ariane Systems’ products can be used with the majority of other industry providers’ technology, including hotel management software (Oracle Micros, Protel, Infor, Cenium…), magnetic card and RFID access control systems (VingCard, Kaba, Onity, Salto…), payment systems (Verifone, Ingenico, Six Card…) as well as with a range of other applications centered around concierge services and upselling (Iris, Runtriz, Nor 1, Guest Driven…) where Ariane is developing partnerships.
Online service and the broader client experience are both key challenges for major hotel groups. Ariane Systems partners with groups such as such as the Louvre Hotels Group, (Campanile, Premiere Classe, Kyriad, Golden Tulip…), Movenpick, B&B and Scandic as they seek to differentiate their service and innovation provision.
Laurent Cardot, Managing Director of Ariane Systems, said: “We found in Ardian the partner that we were looking for to help us develop our offer and international positioning. With the support of their expertise and network, we are able to move to the next stage in our company’s growth plan. We are looking to capitalize on underlying trends in the hospitality market, focusing on consumers’ ever-changing demands, notably toward a focus on personalization of offers, mobility and self-service.”
Laurent Foata, Head of Ardian Growth, Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to work alongside Ariane’s founding team. We are sure that this partnership will allow the group to enter a new phase of growth and will increase its international footprint.”
Ariane Systems launches strategic focus on North America as part of global market development initiative
Ariane Systems has launched an aggressive global growth initiative with an increased focus on the North American market. The move is spearheaded by the recent relocation of company CEO, Laurent Cardot, to the Washington D.C. area of the U.S., in order to oversee the North American operation. Cardot will be joined by a senior level deployment specialist, Ewina Yim, further enhancing the company’s presence to make its solutions more accessible to hoteliers throughout the region. Co-founder Michel Lavandier will remain President and will oversee all EMEA operations, while Miles Gaudoin, currently Managing Director of Northern Europe, will step up as Head of Sales for EMEA.
Recognized throughout multiple global markets as the leading provider of self check-in and check-out technologies, Ariane Systems has also expanded its integration partnership base with a comprehensive list of North American-based industry-recognized technology solution providers, in order to further enhance operational efficiency for its hotel clients around the globe. Ariane’s newly launched global development initiative facilitates integration of its solutions with some of the world’s most renowned keycard and access control manufacturers, including VingCard Elsafe, Kaba Ilco/Saflok, Onity and SALTO Systems. In an effort to streamline transactions, the company has also linked its self-service platform with multiple payment service providers that include Merchant Link, Shift4, SIX Payment Services, Ingenico Group and Verifone. Integrations with several PMS providers such as Oracle/Micros, PAR Springer Miller, Cenium, and Infor also serve the purpose of enhancing property operations and efficiency. To further ensure that hoteliers throughout North America have the ability to gain access to cutting edge hospitality solutions, Ariane Systems is also developing partnerships alongside industry-recognized brands, such as Guestdriven, iRis Software Solutions, Nor1, Runtriz and StaynTouch.
“We are extremely pleased to be working alongside some of the industry’s leading technological providers in order to supply properties with the latest in convenience and efficiency that hospitality currently has to offer,” stated Laurent Cardot. “With the North American market continuing to experience substantial growth in both rates and occupancy levels across various travel segments, we believe that Ariane Systems is in a prime position to promote even further growth and revenues for hotels with its guest experience-enhancing solutions.”
Serving as Chief Executive Officer at Ariane’s Paris-based headquarters for more than 14 years, Cardot’s will continue to oversee all aspects of the global organization from his new U.S. regional base, while directing the North American expansion.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
