History

Excelitas Technologies has been delivering high-performance optoelectronics solutions to OEMs worldwide for many years.

Excelitas Technologies was spun out of PerkinElmer’s Environmental Health business unit and today, is an independent company owned by leading private equity firm, Veritas Capital. The announcement of the completion of the purchase of the business by Veritas Capital took place on November 29, 2010.

Excelitas Technologies was previously known in the industry as EG&G. The company was formally incorporated in 1947 as Edgerton, Germeshausen, and Grier, Inc. by MIT professor Harold Edgerton, a pioneer in high-speed photography and his partners, Kenneth Germeshausen, a pioneer in high energy switching devices and Herbert Grier, a leader in the field of nuclear testing.

The founders' legacy was grounded in high-performance technology solutions and pioneering innovations and that is carried into Excelitas Technologies today.

 

Timeline

  1. 2010

    In November, 2010, Excelitas Technologies was formed. Spun out of PerkinElmer, it is now an independent company owned by Veritas Capital.

  2. 2009

    In 2009, the company acquired Opto Technology, Inc., a provider of custom LED-based lighting components and subsystems.

  3. 2008

    The company acquired VaConics Lighting, a producer of high-intensity Xenon arc lamps with strong expertise and product depth in medical lighting.

  4. 2005

    PerkinElmer Optoelectronics acquired ELCOS AG, a European manufacturer of LED-based solutions.

  5. 1999

    The non-government side of EG&G purchased the Analytical Instruments division of PerkinElmer and assumed the PerkinElmer name.

  6. 1998

    Acquired Lumen Technologies including ORC, ILC and Hanovia Lighting. Added key technologies including: Xenon lighting, flash lamps, electroform reflectors and aerospace qualified lighting.

  7. 1992

    Acquired Heimann Optoelectronics, provider of state–of- the- art flash lamps, photocells, thermopiles, and pyroelectric detectors.

  8. 1990

    Acquired GE/RCA’s Electro-Optics Division, inventor of the Silicon Avalanche Photodiode and other high-performance solid-state detectors and laser emitters.

  9. 1983

    Acquired Vactec, an innovator in low-cost photodiodes and photocells.

  10. 1976

    Acquired Reticon, a leader in CCD Imaging.

  11. 1947

    EG&G incorporated to further Electro-Optic R&D.

  12. 1946

    Edgerton received the Medal of Freedom from the War Department in recognition of his efforts to develop strobe lamp technology powerful enough for aerial nighttime photography.

  13. 1940

    Sports photography revolutionized by Edgerton's flash lamp and stroboscope technologies.

  14. 1938

    Perfected multi-flash photography of athletes.

  15. 1931

    The company was started-up in a garage in Boston by MIT professors Dr. Harold Edgerton, Dr. Kenneth F. Germeshausen, and later joined by Dr. Herbert E. Grier.

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