ABB Adds Laser-Based Gas Analyzers by Acquiring Los Gatos Research

Power and automation technology supplier ABB is acquiring Los Gatos Research of Mountain View, Calif., to add gas analyzers to its measurement business, the company said last week. ABB said the enhanced laser capabilities it will get through the purchase will allow it to expand measurement products and services in oil and gas, electric power and other industries.

ABB employs 147,000 worldwide, with more than 27,000 based at its North American operations in Cary.

ABB is acquiring Los Gatos Research to add gas analyzers to its measurement business. Shown is Los Gatos Research's Deep Sea Gas Analyzer, deployed aboard the MBARI Ventana. Courtesy of PRNewsFoto/ABB.

Los Gatos Research employs nearly 40 and provides analyzers for real-time, nondestructive, laser-based measurement of trace gases and isotopes for research and environmental monitoring. The 19-year-old company's technology is based on off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy (OA-ICOS), which it says has a substantially higher sensitivity, precision and accuracy than traditional sampling and laser-based technologies.

"ABB offers tremendous opportunity for LGR's cavity-enhanced laser absorption technology to reach a wider range of applications in the global market," said LGR President Doug Baer.

LGR employees will join the Measurement Products business unit in ABB's Process Automation Div.

"LGR fills a gap in our technology portfolio and brings a host of new solutions that are vital to industrial customers, such as oil and gas production and transportation, combustion, emissions, power generation and environmental monitoring," said Kishore Sundararajan, global business unit manager in Measurement Products. "This technology has tremendous promise, and we look forward to combining it with our product development and channels to market."

Specific terms of the deal were not disclosed. Subject to regulatory approval, the transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2013, ABB said.

For more information, visit: www.abb.com/measurement