Trillium US Inc of Clackamas, OR, USA has acquired the Oxford Instruments-Austin division of Austin, TX, USA (formerly Austin Scientific). Focused on the helium-compression-based vacuum and temperature management and control sector, Oxford Instruments-Austin provides cryo pump, cold head and compressor service, a range of new cryogenic pumps, cold heads and helium compressors, as well as a full line of related spare parts and accessories.
UK-based Oxford Instruments plc says that it completed the disposal of its non-core Austin business for $1.3m in cash. In the six months to September, the Austin business had revenue of £1.7m and made an operating loss of £0.4m.
Founded in 2002, Trillium has about 90 staff in the USA, addressing the semiconductor, R&D, metallurgy, coating and other markets via service and manufacturing locations in New Jersey, Texas and Oregon (with management systems registered to the ISO:9001 standard). Trillium specializes in vacuum pump repair, new and refurbished pumping systems, and spare parts. It also provides a temperature control unit repair service and new or refurbished chillers and heat exchangers. In addition the firm supplies exhaust gas abatement systems, as well as on-site maintenance programs.
"The Oxford Instruments-Austin acquisition serves a number of purposes," says Trillium's president & CEO Graham Stone. "We acquire a significant range of complementary products while strengthening our existing service capabilities, allowing us to further leverage our customer relationships, while also taking us into new markets", he adds.
Trillium operates a 12,000ft2 facility in North Austin servicing primarily rough vacuum pumps and blowers, while the existing 23,000ft2 Oxford Instruments-Austin facility is in South Austin. "We have been very encouraged with the depth of engineering and the high quality level at Oxford Instruments-Austin," says Trillium's general manager & VP-operations Glen Murray. "Bringing them into the Trillium family will allow us to achieve significant synergies and a larger critical mass by consolidating our Texas operations to a single South Austin location," he adds.
Trillium says that over the past five years it has significantly grown its offerings, from providing repair service and refurbished equipment to also include new products and spare parts. This transition began as part of the merger with United Vacuum of Hamburg, NJ in 2011. "Adding Oxford Instruments-Austin's portfolio to our existing product line further enhances Trillium's value to the customer," believes Trillium's VP-sales & marketing Rob Breisch. "Our new cryogenic customers can now rely on us to provide a broader range of vacuum products and services, and our existing customer base can take advantage of Oxford Instruments-Austin's world-class support for cryo pumps and helium compressors," he explained.
The business integration is already underway and Trillium is now transacting from South Austin. "Our immediate focus and number-one priority is to ensure this transition is implemented quickly and seamlessly," says Graham Stone. "Later phases in the process will include business system migration and consolidation of the facilities." Trillium expects to complete the full transition by June.
