Gentec Buys Spectrum Detector

Canada-based laser beam measurement products maker Gentec Electro-Optics Inc. said it has strengthened its US presence by acquiring laser and terahertz measurement manufacturer Spectrum Detector Inc. of Oregon for an undisclosed amount.

With the acquisition, Gentec said it will now have measurement products for the new and rapidly expanding terahertz market, ultrasensitive optical joulemeters for applications down to femtojoules, instruments for pulse to pulse energy measurements up to 130 kHz and optical TRAP detectors that act as primary calibration standards, among others. The company has developed a line of sensors and instruments for laser and terahertz measurement, and has provided NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) with many custom instruments used as optical calibration transfer standards.

Gentec Electro-Optics President and CEO Michel Giroux (left) with Spectrum Detector founder and President Don Dooley in front of Gentec's new US office, Gentec-EO USA.

"Spectrum Detector's products are so remarkably complementary to ours that the decision to acquire the company was simple to make, and both sides are very excited to work together," said Michel Giroux, president and CEO of Gentec Electro-Optics.

The new company will be named Gentec-EO USA Inc. and will employ all former Spectrum Detector employees. Spectrum's founder and president, Don Dooley, will serve as general manager.

Dooley is a laser measurement veteran of more than 30 years, having also founded and served as CEO of Molectron Detector Inc., which was bought by Coherent in 2002. He started Spectrum Detector in 2006 with his longtime friend and partner Mark Stout, also of the Molectron Detector team.

"My team and I have more than 60 years combined experience in pyroelectric detectors, optical instrumentation, laser power and energy measurement products and NIST traceable optical calibration," he said.

For more information, visit: www.gentec-eo.com