AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS – March 28, 2013 – °Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û Material Technology announces the acquisition of leading US composite lab, Delsen Testing Laboratories, a move which significantly strengthens °Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û’s position within the fast-growing aerospace composite testing market.
The purchase of Delsen, based in Glendale, California, further adds to °Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û’s capabilities and expertise in the commercial aerospace, power generation and transport industries, with the vast majority of Delsen’s activity falling within aerospace.
The acquisition follows °Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û’s recent major investment in developing advanced facilities to test ceramic matrix composites, a material capable of dramatically increasing fuel efficiency in the next generation of aerospace engines.
Charles Noall, President and CEO of °Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û, said: “The primes are focusing their R&D budgets increasingly towards composite materials. As a result, the purchase of one of the most highly regarded composite testing laboratories in America marks a considerable step in °Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û’s strategy to become a market-leader in aerospace materials testing services, as well as the world’s largest dedicated materials testing provider.
“Delsen is Nadcap approved and holds a number of major aerospace prime approvals; it also holds an excellent overall reputation for quality, expertise, and knowledge, making it an ideal addition to the °Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û Group’s existing capabilities.
“We envision Delsen becoming a ‘centre of excellence’ in aerospace composite materials testing. The facility will enable °Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û to shorten lead times, increase productivity and extend our capability. With composites continuing to replace traditional metal applications in a variety of sectors, this acquisition sets °Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û at the forefront of a fast-growing, rapidly evolving industry.”
The purchase of Delsen by °Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û follows a number of significant acquisitions in the last fifteen months, including one of America’s largest independent materials testing businesses, Sherry Laboratories, headquartered in Daleville, Indiana. Other transactions include MAR-TEST of Cincinnati, Ohio, Detroit Testing Laboratories of Warren, Michigan, and UK-based polymer engineering and testing specialists MERL.
About °Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û
°Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û is a company with a global presence; its laboratories are staffed by experts specializing in materials testing, product qualification testing and failure analysis for the Aerospace, Oil & Gas and Transportation and Industrials sectors. °Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û’s team of 1,600 scientists, engineers and technicians work in 45 facilities located throughout the U.S. and Europe. For a complete list of Accreditations & Approvals and more information, please visit www.element.com.
Media Contact
Alison Dwyer or Matthew Judge, Smith & Smith PR Ltd., tel: +44 161 927 9487, email: °Ä²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û@smithandsmithpr.co.uk.