Yokogawa Establishes Laser Analytical Division

Industrial automation and controls vendor Yokogawa Corp of America has established a Laser Analytical Division and acquired Houston-based Analytical Specialties Inc (ASI) to be that division. Word of the deal came at the at April's Yokogawa 2008 Technology Fair & User Conference hosted by the North American subsidiary of Japan’s Yokogawa Electric Corp.

Yokogawa said it acquired all of the stock of ASI, on April 3. ASI makes gas analyzers using tunable diode laser spectroscopy (TDLS) technology. ASI President and now Yokogawa Laser Technology General Manager Trevor Knittel stated that the most exciting thing is not just the TDLS technology, but the ability now to combine with advanced process control to improve control of combustion processes.

“To achieve the top position in the global industrial automation market by 2010, Yokogawa has announced its VigilantPlant vision for the ideal plant, and this TDLS technology enhances our VigilantPlant solution portfolio,” said Satoru Kurosu, senior vice president of the Industrial Automation Business at Yokogawa corporate headquarters.

“We consider that technologies and products focusing on energy saving and environmental conservation will continue to play an important role. Therefore, we aim to expand our line-up of sensors used in analytical processes, and to enhance our capability to offer solutions over the entire lifecycle of a plant that also address the need for energy saving and environmental conservation."