Agilent Acquires MTS Systems Nano Business

Testing equipment and chip maker Agilent Technologies has acquired the Nano Instruments business unit of MTS Systems for an undisclosed sum to strengthen its portfolio for imaging, characterizing, and quantifying nano-mechanical material properties.

Nano Instruments, which was co-founded by Warren Oliver and John Pethica in 1983 and was acquired by MTS Systems in 1998, supplies nanoindentation systems and related equipment as well as supporting software.

It will become part of Agilent's Materials Science Solutions Unit within Agilent's Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis business.

Bob Burns, vice president of nanotechnology measurements division at Agilent, said: "Nano Instruments has great depth of experience and a well-deserved reputation for excellence in nanoindentation. We anticipate growing the Nano Instruments business and offering a more complete nano-measurement product portfolio to our customers worldwide."