Malvern makes US acquisition

Malvern, UK — Analytical instrumentation company Malvern Instruments Ltd has acquired the assets of Spectral Dimensions Inc.— a US producer of near infrared (NIR) chemical imaging instrumentation and software. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Under the deal, Spectral is to cease trading and be integrated into Malvern’s US subsidiary, Malvern Instruments Inc. of Southborough, Massachusetts. However, the US firm’s chemical imaging development and applications teams will continue to operate from Speactral’s base in Olney, Maryland.

The acquisition is intended to further strengthen Malvern’s position in the pharmaceutical industry, according to Paul Walker, managing director of the Malvern, which specialises in particle and rheological characterisation systems for a wide range of materials and industrial processes.

Spectral’s customer base is primarily in the pharmaceutical industry, where, said Walker; “its systems are making a significant contribution to improving formulation and manufacturing processes, supporting manufacturers in achieving the goals set out as part of the FDA’s PAT initiative.”

According to Walker, the addition of chemical imaging technology will be particularly valuable in the challenging areas of blending and tabletting, as well as providing synergy with Malvern’s existing particle characterisation systems.