Mikropak to Join Halma's Ocean Optics Group

Halma plc, a safety and environmental technology group based in Amersham, England, announced it has acquired Mikropack GmbH Aufbautechnik in der Sensorik from founders Gerald Nitsch, Dieter Steck and Photonics Investments BV, as of April 13. Mikropack will join Halma's Ocean Optics group of businesses.

Mikropack, based in Stuttgart, Germany, makes light sources and photonic accessories used in analytical spectroscopic system components and turnkey systems for thin-film metrology. Halma acquired Ocean Optics, a Dunedin, Fla., maker of miniature fiber optic spectrometers, fiber optic accessories, optical fiber, in 2004. Mikropack has had a partnership with Ocean Optics for 10 years.

Halma will pay 2,250,000 euros (about $2,883,151.63) in cash on completion of the acquisition plus up to 2,250,000 euros, based on earnings from Jan. 1, 2005 to April 1, 2006 and from April 2, 2006 to March 31, 2007.

Andrew Williams, Halma’s CEO, said, "Through our Ocean Optics photonics business, we have used Mikropack’s light source technology in a wide range of spectroscopy measurement applications and end-markets for many years. The acquisition not only secures this important technology but strengthens our position in Europe and provides a better platform for further geographical expansion of all of the gboup’s photonics products."

Nitsch and Steck will remain presidents of Mikropack.

Halma is a holding company of almost 50 worldwide subsidiaries focusing on fire and gas products, water technology, elevator electronics, process safety, resistors, and optics technologies.

For more information, visit: www.oceanoptics.com/