NORWOOD, Mass. (Oct. 7) -– Illinois Tool Works Inc. is buying Instron Corp., a maker of testing equipment for measuring tensile strength, compression, puncture resistance, impact strength, hardness and fatigue of various materials, including rubber and plastics.
ITW, a diversified manufacturer of engineered components and industrial systems, is buying Norwood-based Instron from Kirtland Capital Partners, a Cleveland-based private equity firm that has owned Instron since 1999. Terms of the deal, expected to close by the end of October, were not disclosed.
Instron has plants and technical centers in 13 countries throughout North America, Europe and Asia. The company´s products are grouped in three major categories: material testing, structural testing and service. Sales are projected at $240 million in 2005.
David Speer, ITW president and CEO, said Instron has an installed base of more than 70,000 testing instruments around the world.