Q&A: ALTANA talks Imaginant acquisition and its expansion into the semiconductor industry

Last month we covered ALTANA’s acquisition of ultrasonic measuring equipment manufacturer Imaginant Inc. Following the announcement, Manufacturing Quality sat down with a spokesperson from the German chemical company to discuss the move further. Additionally, we also discussed ALTANA’s move to expand into the semiconductor industry, as well as how BYK-Gardner and Imaginant’s technologies will work together.

MQ: Can you talk us through the motivation behind acquiring Imaginant?

A: First off, given ALTANA’s proven culture of innovation and close proximity to customers, as far as any investments are concerned, we only make an acquisition if it is a strategic fit. This applies to all divisions, markets, and technologies: We do not want to make acquisitions just for the sake of size or opportunity.

In regard to acquiring Imaginant, the company is a leading specialist in ultrasonic measuring equipment. Its technological expertise in the development and manufacturing of high-frequency ultrasonic measuring instruments complements BYK-Gardner’s strengths as a specialist in innovative high-tech instruments for testing colour, gloss, and physical properties.

As the Imaginant instruments make it possible to determine the thickness of multilayer automotive and other coatings through non-destructive testing, its portfolio is directly linked to the BYK-Gardner product range. As a global leader in testing solutions, BYK-Gardner develops innovative high-tech instruments, software and services for testing colour, appearance and physical properties.

MQ: Why has ALTANA decided to expand into the semiconductor industry? And what are the company's goals related to this move?

A: In general, investing in promising technology companies or start-ups is an important part of our strategy. Innovative technologies expanding on our existing portfolio offer central future markets for ALTANA.

The semiconductor industry is one of the world’s most dynamic growth markets. It complements BYK-Gardner's strengths as a specialist in innovative high-tech instruments for testing colour, gloss, and physical properties.

MQ: What does the future hold for the BYK division?

A: Celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, BYK is a leading global supplier of speciality chemicals and the biggest division of ALTANA. The company’s innovative additives and differentiated solutions optimise product and material properties as well as production and application processes.

As an integral part of the BYK division, BYK-Gardner develops innovative high-tech instruments, software and services for testing colour, appearance, and physical properties. Therefore, the acquisition of Imaginant strengthens BYK-Gardner’s position as a global leader in testing solutions.

For example, as the Imaginant instruments make it possible to determine the thickness of multilayer automotive and other coatings through non-destructive testing, its portfolio is that larger scale, the Imaginant measurement instruments signify an extension of the core business of BYK, which is the development and production of additives for industrial coatings.

MQ: In the press release, Dr. Tammo Boinowitz said, "By integrating these measurement technologies into our software and services, we intend to further simplify our customers' production processes and drive the digitalisation of the industry." As digitalisation increases, how will the role of metrology change?

A: One of the key advantages of integrating these measurement technologies is a streamlined and unified data flow created by the interaction and interchange of the BYK Gardner measurement tool and the Imaginant device. Currently, for example, these are already being used interchangeably when mounted on the robot arm in the measuring process. In the future, data will be generated and processed uniformly, resulting in optimised efficiency of the production process.