CERAM Set to Expand in North America

Stoke based CERAM, one of the UK's leading materials development, testing and analysis providers, has demonstrated its commitment to develop new markets by acquiring the US based M & P Laboratory.

The M & P Laboratory carries out materials and process characterisation and consultancy, with particular expertise in metallurgy, specialist alloys and coatings. It has a turnover of $3.5 million p.a. and employs 25 staff across two sites; in Schenectady, New York State and Greenville, South Carolina. Its customers range from defence, aerospace, automotive to medical devices industries.

CERAM and M & P are well known to each other, and have operated a successful marketing and commercial collaboration since 2004. As CERAM's Chief Executive Tony Kinsella commented; "The M & P Lab was an ideal acquisition for us as it provides a base from where CERAM can sell its complementary materials, testing, research and consultancy services into the American market."

He continued: "Another attraction was the potential for growth of M & P's existing services in America due to increased demand for testing and consultancy for nuclear energy and aerospace industries and an influx of manufacturing companies locating in Greenville that require testing."

Alongside the acquisition, CERAM has also invested $600,000 in an electron probe in Greenville and a new SEM with scanning wavelength detector for quantitative analysis, all of which add to the high level of service available for customers.

[December 2006]