01-03-2012

Anton Paar acquisition of the Petrotest Group

As of March 1, 2012, Anton Paar – world leader in providing high-precision measuring instruments in the field of density and concentration measurement, determination of dissolved CO2, rheology and material characterization of surfaces – has acquired the Petrotest Group.

Petrotest and Anton Paar signed the purchase contract on February 28. Petrotest will now be called “Petrotest GmbH, a company of Anton Paar” and continue operations at its headquarters in Dahlewitz, near Berlin. An expansion of the premises is planned. The acquisition of the Petrotest Group represents the largest purchase in the history of Anton Paar. In 1996 Anton Paar acquired Physica Messtechnik GmbH in Stuttgart. This is now managed as Anton Paar Germany GmbH, a 100 % subsidiary. In 2006 Anton Paar purchased the Graz-based company MSB Morocutti GmbH, which is now integrated into the Anton Paar Group as Anton Paar ShapeTec GmbH. 2007 saw the acquisition of Dr. Wolfgang Kernchen GmbH in Seelze-Letter, Germany, which is now Anton Paar OptoTec GmbH.

The new 100 % subsidiary, the seventeenth in the Anton Paar Group, will be managed by Florian Wierzbicki, the former commercial manager of Petrotest, and Heinz Kindlhofer, Business Development Manager at Anton Paar.

Petrotest is a family company with a long tradition. It was established in 1873 by Berthold Pensky. The company became well-known for producing equipment for determining the flash point of petroleum products using the Pensky-Martens method. Customers are renowned and globally active refineries, manufacturers of biofuel, vehicles and bitumen, companies in the chemical industry, beverage industry and food industry, among others. For the last 33 years Petrotest has been successfully managed by Volkmar Wierzbicki.

Dr. Friedrich Santner, CEO of Anton Paar GmbH: “Petrotest’s products are an ideal complement to Anton Paar’s product portfolio. The combination of existing technologies from both companies results in a promising synergy effect and allows the development of new measuring instruments. Our strategic aim is clear: by providing a comprehensive range of measuring instruments for laboratories in the oil industry we want to become the preferred partner of our customers in a wider field.”

Anton Paar is the world leader in the field of density and concentration measurement, the determination of dissolved CO2, rheology and the material characterization of surfaces. Its customers include the largest soft drink and beer manufacturers in the world, as well as companies in the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Established in 1922 as a one-man locksmith’s workshop in Graz, Austria, the company continues to tread new paths and combine high-precision manufacturing with the latest research results. Today highly precise measuring instruments for quality control in the laboratory and production are developed and produced almost exclusively in-house. 20 % of the annual turnover is invested in Research and Development. Anton Paar is active in more than 110 countries with sixteen – now seventeen – subsidiaries. Over 1400 employees in a worldwide sales and service network support customers on-site and make sure that Anton Paar’s products, support and service live up to their excellent reputation. Since 2003 Anton Paar has been owned by the charitable Santner Foundation. The foundation is exclusively and directly dedicated to charitable and beneficient causes.

Volkmar Wierzbicki, former owner and CEO of Petrotest reports: “I am pleased that an innovative and also value-led high-tech company such as Anton Paar, which is known for its excellent company culture, employee orientation and highly precise and high-quality products, will be the new owner of Petrotest. It is important to me that the location in Dahlewitz is secure for the long term. In contrast to international companies with shareholders, Anton Paar has a sustainable company philosophy.”