Leading optical media test company DaTARIUS announced that it has reached agreement with German-based optical engineering company Op-tection to take over its activities as of January 2007.
The managing director of Op-tection, Dr Wilbert Windeln - founder and former managing director of ETA-Optik - will join DaTARIUS and head up this new activity, DaTARIUS Optical Products (DOP), located in Heinsberg, Germany. DOP occupies a 1,050 square metre facility that provides the option to further expand the premises as needed.
"This expansion of our offices in Germany could not have come at a better time," says James Steynor, chairman and CEO of the DaTARIUS Group. "It will provide us with the capability of further leveraging the technology that we have acquired in both inspection and scanners."
"Our acquisition of Op-tection's activities follows a period of intense research into a number of opportunities to expand the DaTARIUS business and portfolio of expertise. Op-tection and Dr Windeln together provided by far the most attractive combination of technology and experience for our development plans."
The new DaTARIUS activity in Germany will concentrate on optical measuring techniques, including the recently announced partnership with InPhase to develop holographic test solutions. These will complement DaTARIUS' activities in Austria, where electrical testing of optical media will remain the main focus. Integrating scanners alongside electrical testing will be one of many innovations DaTARIUS plans to introduce in 2007.
"Wilbert Windeln brings not only a great team into DaTARIUS but also a strong vision for our expansion and diversification alongside our core optical media measure activities," says Steynor. "He is a well-known figure in the field of optics, having 25 years? experience that covers many industries from glass manufacturing through to optical media, including work on holography."
Windeln adds, "I am delighted to be part of the DaTARIUS team, and I am looking forward to extending DaTARIUS?s activities both in optical media and outside into new emerging markets."
Dr Wilbert Windeln studied physics before receiving a PhD in Holography and started his professional career in the glass industry, working for five years on holographic optical elements for heads-up displays. He founded the 'Holographie Labor Windeln' in 1988, which carried out R&D projects in holographic optical elements for several different companies and applications.
In 1991 Dr Windeln founded ETA-Optik GmbH, which was sold to STEAG HamaTech in 2002, and remained there as managing director until 2005. Following his departure from ETA-Optik, Windeln founded Op-tection.