Acquisition in advanced materials
Pfäffikon Schwyz, Switzerland – May 3, 2017 – Oerlikon announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire Scoperta Inc., an innovative solution provider in advanced materials development, based in California, USA. With the acquisition, Oerlikon gains for its Surface Solutions Segment unique and proprietary process technology and expertise in rapidly designing and developing materials using computational software, which enables a fast identification of disruptive material solutions.
Although much of the technological development supported by advanced materials, particularly in industrial applications, remains invisible to the general public, advanced materials play an increasing key role in the design and development of industrial products and systems. Advanced materials such as metal-based materials (nickel, titanium, cobalt, steel, etc.), nanomaterials and other materials with high-performance characteristics are increasingly finding their way into automobiles, aircrafts, building materials, medical devices, clothing and other industries. They are vital in providing critical solutions for performance enhancements, efficiency improvements and cost reductions, while often also contributing to environmental sustainability.
Founded in 2005, Scoperta is a leader in modern computational materials development and an expert in translating material science into commercial products. Scoperta has a highly skilled engineering and application development team, consisting of metallurgists and scientists who have developed an advanced computational materials development approach. Their key competencies lie in their in-depth understanding of material microstructures and material properties and in using the latest metallurgy technology for developing new materials and finished, commercially compelling materials that specifically address the needs of customers. To date, Scoperta has launched various intellectual property protected disruptive material solutions that significantly outpace existing offerings in the market and are primarily for the hardfacing markets such as oil & gas and mining. Scoperta is a trusted partner to major industrial companies for the joint development of advanced materials, targeting hardfacing, thermal spray and additive manufacturing applications.
The acquisition of Scoperta strengthens Oerlikon’s position in the market for metallic and ceramic materials and extends the scope of services to customers in terms of developing individualized materials in significantly reduced development times and costs. Scoperta will benefit from Oerlikon’s extensive access to industrial customers, distribution channels and production supply chain. Both parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.
Dr. Roland Fischer, CEO of the Oerlikon Group, said: “The expertise and team from Scoperta adds great value and complements well with Oerlikon’s existing strong materials heritage and competence. With industries seeking solutions to improve performance and sustainability, the need for advanced materials and products is continuously growing. This investment underscores our aim to stay at the forefront of the new era of innovating for advanced materials, which will be used in surface solutions and also in additive manufacturing. In our transition to become a powerhouse in surface solutions and advanced materials, such targeted and selective investments will reinforce our in-house capabilities and provide additional growth opportunities for Oerlikon.”
About Oerlikon
Oerlikon (SIX: OERL) is a leading global technology Group, with a clear strategy to become a global powerhouse in surface solutions, advanced materials and materials processing. Backed by the key ability to intelligently engineer and process surface solutions and advanced materials, the Group is committed to invest in value-bringing technologies that provide customers with lighter, more durable, more efficient and environmentally sustainable products. A Swiss company with over 100 years of tradition, Oerlikon has a global footprint of over 13 500 employees at more than 180 locations in 37 countries and sales of CHF 2.3 billion in 2016. The company invested CHF 94 million in R&D in 2016 and has over 1 000 specialists developing innovative and customer-oriented products and services.
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