CRC Buys Research House from Environics

In Canada, medical and consumer specialist CRC Research has acquired Toronto-based focus group facilities and qual recruitment services provider Research House, from marketing services and data firm Environics. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 1976, Research House has four focus group rooms in central Toronto, as well as a recruiting center where professionals source audiences to match client specifications. Each area can be configured for theatre, classroom, living room, mini group or one-on-one style sessions. Barry Watson, CEO of Environics, says the sale is consistent with his firm's increasing focus on consulting and analysis, and its move away from the operational side of data collection.

Research House will add to CRC's existing focus group facilities and recruiting offices in Vancouver, bi-lingual office in Montreal, and expertise in healthcare recruiting and moderating. CRC founder Ed Gibson (pictured) comments: 'With more and more companies using databases and transactional data to understand consumers, the value of time spent watching and listening to real people is even more important. We see significant growth in qualitative research and a real opportunity for companies like ours who know how to provide market research clients with cost-effective solutions and top-notch customer service'.

Web sites: www.crcresearch.com and www.research-house.ca .