One more family business succumbs to the lure of Thomson, further consolidating information resources in the hands of large corporations. Barcelona, Spain-based Prous Science has had a tremendous reputation among pharmaceutical and health researchers. It’s been innovative (had a Web presence beginning in 1995) and fast to create new products and respond to customer needs. Now it will be part of Thomson Scientific, melded into its Pharma/Chem Markets division, joining Thomson Pharma, iDDb, Derwent World Patents Index, and Web of Science. Prous CEO J.R. Prous and EVP Josep Prous Jr. both have positive comments (and since they’re quoted in the Thomson press release, of course it’s positive), particularly about continued product development and innovation, and customers can only hope these sentiments will turn out to be true.

Prous hosts Webcasts and has produced Web sites for associations such as the American Diabetes Association. How will this fit into Thomson Scientific? With Prous headquarters remaining in Barcelona, how much influence will they wield in Philadelphia? Will Prous’ Integrity platform play well with other Thomson platforms?

With Thomson on the prowl for other acquisitions, Prous won’t be the last family (or even small) business to heed Thomson’s siren call. And there will be one more booth disappearing from information industry and library association conference exhibit halls.