Sandvik to acquire former GE superabrasives business

Swedish tool manufacturer Sandvik Tooling (www.sandvik.com) agreed to acquire Diamond Innovations Inc., (www. abrasivesnet.com) the former Superabrasives Division of General Electric Company, in the United States from the private equity company Littlejohn & Co. LLD. The acquisition is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2007.
Diamond Innovations is a world-leading company in the development and production of synthetic diamond and cubic boron nitride products for such industrial applications as machining, oil and gas drilling, grinding, rock drilling and wire drawing.
Diamond Innovations has annual sales in excess of $150 million and approximately 600 employees. Its head office and largest production facility are located in Worthington, Ohio. It also has facilities in Florida, Ireland and Hong Kong. The company’s sales are equally distributed between the Americas, Europe and Asia.
In a statement on its agreement to acquire the company, Sandvik said the demand for improved performance of cutting tools is constantly increasing, and that the acquisition of Diamond Innovations will provide a base for improving its offerings of diamond and cubic boron nitride cutting tools for metalworking.
“Today, Sandvik holds a world-leading position in advanced applications based on materials technology. Diamond and cubic boron nitride are the hardest materials known to mankind and therefore provide unique solutions for heavy wear demand applications. This acquisition complements our current offering in areas with high growth potential and our intention is to continue developing the existing business,” Anders Thelin, president of Sandvik Tooling, said in his company’s statement. “Moreover, it provides the potential for further development of new solutions, especially for Sandvik Mining and Construction.”
Tanya Fratto, who currently leads the business of Diamond Innovations, will continue to serve as chief executive officer of the business, and will work with the Sandvik team to achieve a smooth transition for the company’s employees, customers and suppliers.
“The entire Diamond Innovations team is excited about this new ownership and fully supports Sandvik’s strategy to continue to develop this business. We are all committed to our long tradition of product innovation and service to the benefit of our customers,” says Tanya Fratto, CEO of Diamond Innovations.
Sandvik Group is a global industrial group with advanced products and world-leading positions in selected areas – tools for metal cutting, machinery and tools for rock excavation, stainless materials, special alloys, metallic and ceramic resistance materials as well as process systems and sorting systems. It has 39,000 employees and representation in 130 countries, with annual sales of approximately $9.0 billion.
Sandvik Tooling is a business area within the Sandvik Group and a global market-leading manufacturer of tools and tooling systems for metal cutting as well as of blanks and components with annual sales of approximately $3.0 billion and 15,000 employees. Its products are manufactured in cemented carbide, high-speed steel and other hard materials such as diamond and special ceramics, and include the following brands: Sandvik Coromant, Sandvik Hard Materials, Walter, Valenite, Safety, Titex, Dormer, Prototyp, and Precision.