Norstat Buys Dutch Data Collection Business

Northern European data collection company Norstat Group has acquired Amsterdam-based firm Respondenten.nl, giving it a first presence in the Netherlands and a full-time headcount of more than 180.

Norstat, whose biggest clients are MR providers but which also works for consultancies, media and PR firms and end clients, is already present in a dozen European markets comprising the Baltic and Nordic states plus the UK, Germany, France and Italy. Respondenten.nl also has production facilities and venues in the Dutch town of Amersfoort, and offers online and off-line data collection and services from recruitment of respondents and arranging venues to programming questionnaires, mystery shopping and ftf interviews. Its panel boasts more than 50,000 people.

Yvette Huitema, founder of Respondenten.nl, and Merel Macedo, Managing Partner, will continue to run the company. Norstat says the buy is 'a major ingredient in its strategy for future European growth', and notes that the combined company has annual revenue of more than EUR 50m, with strong profit margins.

Recently promoted CEO Erling Eriksen (pictured) comments: 'We have followed Respondenten.nl closely for a long time and been impressed by their quality standards, their client portfolio and the team`s commitment and ability to create growth... The large panel of Respondents.nl, their expertise in the field of qualitative market research combined with our extensive knowledge of data, sampling and online research makes this a very good match. We can now finally offer existing and new Norstat clients in-house data collection capabilities in the Netherlands and all clients of Respondenten.nl seamless services across Europe'.

Macedo and Huitema said in a statement: 'The last couple of years we have worked hard to become a major platform in the Netherlands for data collection. We have grown rapidly in recent years and have conquered a leading position in the Dutch market. It is now time to accelerate that growth. By joining Norstat Group we will be able to offer our clients more advanced solutions like visualization / dashboards and automated data deliveries while at the same time maintaining our current service and quality. We will also be able to offer our clients access to Norstat's premium panels across Europe'.

Norstat was established in Norway in 1997 and is online at www.norstatgroup.com , while its new subsidiary is at www.respondenten.nl/en .