Nov 28 2007
El-Mul Technologies, a leading manufacturer of particle detection and field emission components used in nanotechnology instruments, announced today that it has acquired QuantomiX, developer of the innovative WETSEM capsule technology, headquartered in Rehovot, Israel.
QuantomiX WETSEM enables rapid, direct imaging of wet samples in scanning electron microscopes (SEM), an important new capability that has been hailed as a breakthrough. The WETSEM patented capsule design protects samples from the harsh vacuum of the microscope chamber and brings nano-scale visualization to biological, pharmaceutical and materials science applications.
The acquisition significantly broadens El-Mul's market reach and adds an exciting new portfolio of products to El-Mul’s existing lines of high performance charged particle detectors and carbon nanotube (CNT) based field emitters.
“The purchase of QuantomiX offers El-Mul access to the end users of electron microscopes, a segment which opens new opportunities for growth alongside our existing OEM business,” said Dr. Armin Schon, CEO of El-Mul Technologies.
“We’re especially pleased with the synergies we see between El-Mul and QuantomiX technologies.” Dr. Schon added. “El-Mul’s long experience and success in SEM detector technology will greatly enhance WETSEM performance, both in terms of resolution and productivity. The combination of WETSEM with dedicated detectors and eventually also CNT electron sources will enable novel applications which would not be within reach of either company alone.
QuantomiX outgoing CEO Zvika Slovin praised the acquisition. “El-Mul provides the technological know-how that will take WETSEM to the next level. QuantomiX has paved the road for some exciting applications, but El-Mul’s outstanding R&D team can deliver comprehensive solutions – something they’ve been doing in this field for many years.”
Since its introduction in 2003, the QuantomiX WETSEM line of capsules has made it possible to create high resolution images of previously unseen wet samples – such as cells, biological tissue, foods, cosmetics and ink – in their native environments. In particular, WETSEM technology has opened new opportunities for application-specific tools to improve drug discovery, advanced treatments for disease and diagnostic solutions for the medical and pharmaceutical markets.
El-Mul will continue to support all current WETSEM products and applications. El-Mul management has also announced plans to enhance and expand QuantomiX's patented technologies in order to address important new applications in additional industries where lucrative potential growth is foreseen.
The terms of El-Mul Technologies’ acquisition of Quantomix were not released. El-Mul has held business interests in QuantomiX since its founding in 2001. El-Mul Technologies is the original creator and patent co-owner of the technology that underlies Quantomix WETSEM.