St. John’s-based Focus Field Solutions Inc. has sold a stake to Germany’s Dräger Safety AG, which will help to sell the company’s digital industrial safety solutions in global markets.

Focus FS issued a statement this week saying Lübeck, Germany-based Dräger had invested in the company to extend its expertise in the area of digital worksites.  The parties did not disclose the terms of the investment, but did say the deal means Focus FS software will now be marketed with Dräger products internationally.

“We are very enthusiastic about having Dräger as a partner and investor,” said Focus FS CEO and Co-Founder Jeffrey K. Brown in the statement. “This investment shows Dräger’s confidence in our vision of creating connecting worksites. We believe zero-harm is achievable – and by aligning ourselves with Dräger, who also believes workplace safety is paramount, we can help our customers realize that ambition.”

Focus FS produces Software-as-a-Service solutions that help mining and oil and gas companies operate in remote, often harsh environments. Its digital worksite software is being used at oil and gas sites, metal mines, shipping ports, industrial warehouses, and construction worksites across North America. The company’s eMustering and Mine Rescue software is being used to locate injured workers and assist emergency responders during emergencies.

Focus FS’s customers can choose from a range of modules and create a solution that best fits their needs. There are three main use cases that can be addressed by the solution: worker safety, plant and asset safety, and incident safety.

“Behavior-based safety, situational awareness, and increased operational productivity are challenges our customers worldwide face on a daily basis,” said Dräger Vice President of Segment and Product Marketing Emergency and Rescue Services AnnMarie Edgerton. “With this partnership, we have the ability to offer effective solutions today. Our vision for tomorrow is also clear. We will ensure that not only do we offer technology for life to our customers, we will have an integrated offering that supports their ambitions of building safe and efficient worksites.”

Founded in 2012 by Brown and COO Jennifer West, Focus FS now employs 15 people. In July 2018, the company closed a $1.4 million funding round, dominated by a “quasi-equity” contribution from BDC Capital.

The capital markets arm of the federal government’s Business Development Bank of Canada did not define what it means by “quasi-equity”, though it is likely a form of convertible debt. It added that private investors also invested in the company in the 2018 round.