PerkinElmer snaps up Triton's thermal analysis line
Mechanical Analysis (DMA) products from UK-based firm Triton
Technology in its latest move following a busy year of purchases
during 2006.
The DMA technology is used across the pharmaceutical, polymer and food industries for a variety of applications from quality control to advanced research.
Dynamic Mechanical Analysis is a technique used to investigate the mechanical properties of materials, looking at stiffness as a function of temperature, humidity or frequency of deformation. DMA is also used for monitoring 'relaxation events', such as glass transitions (when a material's properties change from that of a glass to that of a rubber), as the mechanical properties of a material change dramatically at this point.
Within the pharmaceutical industry, the technology can be used to investigate powders, films, granules semi-solids or solid bars. For example, DMA can applied to analyse tablet swelling and disintegration, or dissolution of a gelatine capsule.
"The new DMA 8000 represents the type of novel, next-generation technology we are investing in to continually provide solutions to customers that enable them to advance the pace and precision of their research and testing," said PerkinElmer Life and Analytical Sciences president, Robert Friel.
The company has had a busy year of acquisitions, with no less than half a dozen additions to their portfolio during 2006. Back at the beginning of the year the company also announced the sale of the remaining unit of their Fluid Sciences division. Having sold its aerospace and fluid testing businesses at the end of 2005, the sale of the three businesses resulted in approximately $400m (€302.5m) flowing towards the company's coffers.
The DMA product line is PerkinElmer's first acquisition of 2007.
In releasing the product line to PerkinElmer, Triton Technology has freed up resources allowing the company to bring forward development of an entirely new plastics analyser for the QA/QC of polymeric materials.
In addition to this, the company will also be focusing on their Dielectric Thermal Analysis (DETA) technology, as well as humidity generator and controller which can be used in conjunction with either DMA or DETA equipment or as a stand alone product.
