Fluke Corp. Buys Hawk IR International to Broaden Global Thermography Holdings

Fluke Corp., Everett, Wash., has acquired Hawk IR International Ltd. of North Yorkshire, United Kingdom, a manufacturer of thermal imaging equipment. Hawk IR will continue to operate as Hawk IR International under the Fluke Electronics Industrial Division and will continue to service its customers and partners globally.

A senior Hawk IR International executive said the acquisition by Fluke will give his company additional resources and channels to global markets. “As the world leader in thermal imaging for industrial applications, Fluke Thermography gels perfectly with our arc-resistant IR-Window products,” said Tony Holliday, managing director of Hawk IR International Ltd. “With a global network of electrical experts and distributors, the combination will bring safe and efficient electrical thermography to users worldwide.”

Ken Konopa, Fluke Industrial’s president said customers of Fluke and Hawk IR will benefit from a coordinated offering of thermal imagers and peripheral equipment and a rich base of knowledge, and that Fluke’s resources and advanced manufacturing strategies will allow Hawk IR to expand its product lines into new markets and to increase existing market depth penetration.

A major focus for Hawk IR is producing portable infrared cameras such as the Hawk IR Ex CAM for explosive atmospheres such as marine, petrochemical and offshore applications. Maintenance personnel use these cameras to find and document potential hotspots in equipment.

Fluke acquired another player in the thermography market in August 2008. Now operating as a part of Fluke’s Thermal Imaging Business Unit, Janos Technology, Keene, N.H., manufactures precision optics and optical systems for the research laboratories, space science integrators, military defense contractors, and analytical instrument manufacturers.

Greenwich Technology Advisors, Old Greenwich, Conn. represented Janos in its sale to Fluke. A posting on a Greenwich Technology Advisors blog said. “This acquisition (Hawk IR) is the second by Fluke in the past few quarters and underscores its commitment to thermal imaging technologies. We think the addition of Hawk IR moves Fluke further along the path to being the preeminent supplier of IR imaging systems that are as ubiquitous is its iconic multi-meter.

At the end of last summer, we represented Janos Technology, a leading supplier of IR optics and subsystems, in its sale to Fluke. At that time, we noted significant interest from a number of acquirers for IR technologies. Janos’ potential synergies with existing portfolio businesses and strong fit with strategic direction enabled Fluke to find greater value than competing acquirers and ultimately win the prize.”