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Spectris to Acquire Omega Engineering

ControlGlobal.com
09/12/2011

Spectris plc, based in the U.K., has signed an agreement to acquire the Omega Engineering business. Omega is a leading supplier of process measurement and control instrumentation across a broad range of categories, including automation, wireless, test and measurement, process control, power monitoring, and environmental and lab equipment.

Founded in 1962, Omega has grown steadily and is now an established global leader in the technical marketplace. The company offers over 100,000 state-of-the-art solutions for measurement of temperature, pressure, flow, level, strain, humidity, pH and conductivity, as well as a comprehensive line of data acquisition, electric heating and custom engineered products. The company revenues have not been released.

"We are delighted to have reached agreement to acquire the Omega Engineering business, which will bring a significant strategic growth platform to Spectris," said John O'Higgins, chief executive of Spectris. "Omega will continue to serve its customers with innovative products and outstanding service. With its focus on control of temperature, pressure, flow and other common industrial process measurements, Omega is a natural fit for our industrial controls segment, and enables us to expand our product offering to customers globally."

Spectris plc is a supplier of instrumentation and controls. It operates across four business segments: materials analysis, test and measurement, in-line instrumentation and industrial controls. Headquartered in Egham, Surrey, England, the company employs over 6000 people, with offices in more than 30 countries.

End of an Era

This ends an era for Mrs. Betty Hollander and the Hollander Family. Mrs. Hollander, who was CEO of Omega from the beginning, started the company in her kitchen when she was putting her husband through school. It is difficult to say with any certainty how large the company actually is, since the Hollanders have kept that information closely held.

Omega does not appear on the Top 50 in Control magazine because the Hollanders requested not to be counted and declined to provide data.

It is believed that Omega was one of the largest woman-owned and operated businesses in the United States.
Mrs. Hollander, who passed away in April of this year, was made an Honorary Member of ISA in 2001.