Norstat Buys Norway's Polling & Statistics

Data collection company Norstat has acquired Oslo, Norway-based firm Polling & Statistics for an undisclosed sum.

Polling & Statistics offers telephone and in person interviews, online methodologies, and access to a panel comprising approximately 40,000 people in Norway. The firm has eighteen full-time employees and around 200 part-time interviewers.

This is Norstat's sixth acquisition in the last eight months, following its takeover of Userneeds last week, and earlier TestingTime, CG Research and Respondenten and DMA Research. Polling & Statistics will be fully integrated into Norstat Norway and Nina Kulås (pictured) will become Managing Director of the combined company. Pål Listuen, founder and CEO of Polling & Statistics, will stay on and support in the post-merger integration work before assuming the role as Regional Director of Norstat's Southern European countries.

Kulås comments: 'We have followed Polling & Statistics closely the last years and been impressed by their growth, agile delivery capability, and results. With the addition of Polling & Statistics, Norstat will be well-positioned to meet the increasing demand for data collection in Norway. We complement each other well and I look forward to welcoming all Polling & Statistics employees and incorporating their innovative approach to customer deliveries'.

Web sites: www.norstatgroup.com and www.pollstat.no .