SDI Group acquires PRP Optoelectronics for £9.3m
Cambridge-based SDI Group plc, a UK firm that buys companies which design and manufacture specialist lab equipment, industrial & scientific sensors and industrial & scientific products, has announced the acquisition of PRP Optoelectronics Ltd for £9.3m.
PRP (a Swindon-based company that originated as a spin-off from Plessey in 1989) produces custom made, high performance microLEDs and LED devices, with products ranging from infra-red through to ultra-violet devices for a range of applications, using GaAsP, InGaAlP, GaInP, InGaAsP and InGaN emitters.
PRP offers complete in-house capabilities from semiconductor wafer processing to final system assembly, enabling it to deliver bespoke solutions for applications such as avionics displays, thermal imaging and water and air purification systems. Its LED production operations are based at the University of Southampton.
The company serves a diverse range of industries including military and civil aviation (including platforms such as Eurofighter Typhoon, General Dynamics F-16, Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and Airbus A320 amongst others), medical photodynamic therapy, and industrial printing.
PRP will join the SDI Group's Industrial & Scientific Sensors division and further SDI's penetration into the aerospace industry. The inclusion of PRP's LED micro-displays for optical systems and UV purification products also create a complementary offering, accoding to SDI, strengthening the group's footprint across specialist end markets.
Stephen Brown, CEO of SDI Group, said: "The acquisition of PRP is a significant milestone for SDI, marking our entry into the avionics markets. The business boasts a range of products in a very particular niche, which have applications across multiple sectors, including in aviation and on platforms, including the General Dynamics F-16 and Airbus A320 among others.
"PRP is a profitable business, with strong revenue visibility and an international customer base which meets our key acquisition criteria. We're enormously excited to welcome the PRP team into the Group and looking forward to working with them as they execute on their new business pipeline, and as we continue to drive the Group forward with our organic and inorganic growth strategies."
