Ambios Technology Expands Facilities

Ambios Technology Inc. announced that it has signed a multiyear agreement that doubles the size of its Santa Cruz, Calif., headquarters. The additional space will be used to substantially increase manufacturing, engineering and research facilities. Ambios Technology makes surface measurement and visualization instruments, including atomic force microscopes, stylus-type profilometers, and scanning white-light interferometers, used in high-resolution research and nanotechnology. "Our steady 20-plus percent growth per year is largely attributable to our access to the emerging nanotechnology market," said Patrick O'Hara, Ambios president and CEO. "Increased spending in government, academic and industrial research in nanotechnology has led to increased revenue for Ambios Technology. As a result, we needed to expand our facilities to meet the needs of our customers in this and other markets." According to Cientifica Ltd., a UK-based nanotech market research firm, the nanotech marketplace (excluding semiconductors and microelectronics) is expected to grow 36 percent annually through 2012.