JANUARY 20--Effective immediately, the Thales High Tech Optics Group (Fairport, NY) of which Thales Optem Inc. was a member, is now officially The Qioptiq Group, a holding of Candover Investments plc (London). As a result of this development, Thales Optem is now officially doing business as Qioptiq Imaging Solutions.
Negotiations between Thales and Candover officially closed in agreement on December 22, 2005. In this agreement, seven Thales High Tech Optics companies (including Thales Optem) are now separated from Thales and have officially formed their own private group, wholly owned by Candover. The name of this new optics group is Qioptiq (pronounced 'key-optic').
This change in name and ownership will have no direct effect on the daily business of Qioptiq imaging Solutions or on any of its product brands, relationships with suppliers, distributors, or customers. In line with this change of name and ownership, Qioptiq Imaging Solutions Web site will change accordingly: www.qioptiqimaging.com.
Located outside of Rochester, NY, Qioptiq Imaging Solutions specializes in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced optical systems and custom optical solutions for machine vision, inspection, and research applications in the semiconductor, high-tech manufacturing, life sciences, and educational markets.
High Tech Optics (HTO), now Qioptiq Group, is a leader in the design and manufacture of high-precision optical components and modules for military, civil, and commercial applications. HTO has principal operations in the UK and Singapore and various other manufacturing and/or commercial activities in France, Germany, Hungary, and the USA. The company employs approximately 1400 people and reported revenues of $150 million in 2004.
Established in 1980, Candover specializes in arranging and leading large buyouts and buyins. Candover actively seeks opportunities across Europe via offices in London, Paris, and Düsseldorf, and a local advisor in Madrid. To date Candover has invested in 125 deals with a total value of more than €25 billion.
