Oracle buys Textura in $663m deal to extend its cloud reach in construction and engineering

Oracle splashes out again in a bid to catch up cloud computing rivals

Oracle has continued its shift into cloud computing with the $663m acquisition of Textura, a specialist provider of cloud computing services for the construction and engineering industries.

The company's technology will be merged with Oracle's Primavera suite of software, which is also aimed at project management tasks, such as handling costs, time and risk factors.

The combined cloud services unit will form the Oracle Engineering and Construction Global Business unit, effectively offering a more comprehensive set of project management tools for the industry.

Oracle has reworked Primavera as a software-as-a-service offering, and combined with Textura will offer the cloud software as a way to help the engineering and construction industry shift to more digital services.

Mike Sicilia, general manager of the new business unit, said that using cloud services enables organisations in construction and engineering to run more efficiently.

"The increasingly global engineering and construction industry requires digital modernisation in a way that automates manual processes and embraces the power of cloud computing to easily connect the construction job site, reduce cost overruns and improve productivity," he said.

Textura CEO David Habiger added that the acquisition will enable the company to extend its reach in the engineering and construction industries. "Textura's mission is to bring workflow automation and transparency to complex construction projects while improving their financial performance and minimising risks," he said.

However, any future Textura products will need the approval of Oracle, which is currently reviewing the company's product plan. This could mean that Textura customers will see a very different suite by the time Oracle has finished modifying the portfolio.

The acquisition is indicative of Oracle's aggressive expansion into cloud computing, by driving into services in a range of vertical sectors, as well as developing its own infrastructure-as-a-service offerings. The company recently extended its public cloud to customers' data centres in a bid to overcome data residency fears.