Motorola Agrees To Buy Printrak InternationalMotorola Agrees To Buy Printrak International

Telecommunications provider Motorola Inc. has agreed to buy Printrak International Inc., a software supplier for the public-safety industry. The deal is worth $160 million in stock.

Motorola's commercial, government, and industrial solutions sector, which had $4 billion in sales last year, would leverage Printrak's biometric, computer-aided dispatch, and records-management software to manufacture communications products for government agencies. Software applications are becoming increasingly important to government agencies looking for ways to integrate sophisticated communications systems, a Motorola spokeswoman says.

Motorola, which is best known for its personal wireless devices, could become more competitive and responsive to its public-safety customers with the acquisition, independent telecommunications analyst Jeffrey Kagan says.

The deal is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close by the end of the year. Once completed, Printrak will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Motorola.