ITT Scoops Major Instrumentation Brands

ITT Corporation has acquired the entire portfolio of companies within the Nova Analytics group. This includes well known brands such as WTW®, SI Analytics®, Aanderaa®, ebro®, Bellingham + Stanley® and Global Water®.

ITT, with a revenue of $10.9 billion in 2009, is a global leader in water and fluids management, global defence and security, and motion and flow control.

With global revenues of approximately US$135 million in 2009 and employing around 725 people worldwide, Nova Analytics was a privately held manufacturer of premium quality laboratory, field, portable, and on-line analytical instruments used in water and wastewater, environmental, medical, and food/beverage applications.

“This acquisition fits perfectly with ITT’s strategy to expand into categories adjacent to our core businesses and build on our global leadership positions in water, wastewater and industrial process, and products for the food & beverage market,” said Gretchen McClain, president of ITT Fluid and Motion Control group.

“Nova offers ITT a collection of leading brands and technologies, robust distribution, and a strong platform in the $6 billion analytical instrumentation market from which to establish a new growth platform for the corporation.”

McClain sees the acquisition as a natural extension of ITT’s $4.7 billion Fluid and Motion Control business, with presence in more than 130 countries and established brands including Flygt, Sanitaire, Jabsco,
Totten, Goulds, Bell & Gossett, Lowara, WEDECO, Royce and Leopold.

“Adding Nova’s recognized brands to our existing portfolio of water and wastewater pumps and treatment systems will enable us to more fully address our customers’ needs when it comes to fluid transport, testing and treatment, and to assist them in more effectively meeting the increasingly stringent regulatory, environmental, and energy efficiency requirements they are facing,” McClain said.

“By combining Nova’sWTWbranded instrument and sensor portfolio with our current offerings, ITT will have one of the industry’s broadest sensor and instrument ranges for wastewater plant process monitoring and control. This combined portfolio will allow ITT to address all of our customers’ treatment plant process design, operation and control needs, and assist them in controlling their operating and construction expenses.”

Chris McIntire was previously President of Nova Analytics and has now been appointed President of the newly formed ITT Analytics. He says, "There is certainly an element of synergy between ITT and Nova Analytics, however, the plan is to continue to position the brands as stand-alone businesses. Setting the foundation of the Nova Analytics business in the first seven years can now be regarded as the first chapter. The entiremanagement teamcame with the business and ITT has major growth plans including both organic and non-organic growth within the analytical instrumentation sector."

Chris believes that whilst the brands within the ITT Analytics portfolio are all very strong, there are geographic market sectors in which they have yet to fulfil their potential. For example, he believes that much of the organic growth will come fromthe North Americanmarket. "As Nova Analytics we obviously looked for sustainable growth, but now that we are part of a much larger organisation, the payback periods for investment will be longer and with ITT’s focus on innovation, we can look forward to an accelerated new product development program."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Chris believes that the acquisition is good news for customers. He says, "ITT is a very large, financially stable parent, whichmeans that customers can rely on long-term support and in a riskaverse market this is extremely important."

Commenting on the analytical instrumentation sector, Chris believes that themarket is strengthening as we emerge fromworldwide recession and foresees stable and consistent growth in the medium term. "Water
continues to flow, no matter what the economy is doing!" he adds.