NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI-Hexagon AB has entered into a formal agreement to purchase the measuring equipment businesses of Romer CimCore Inc. (Carlsbad, CA), a manufacturer of portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and specialized accessories such as laser scanning probe heads and the GridLOK measurement volume expansion system sold under the Romer brand in the United States, and the CimCore brand elsewhere in the world.

Portable articulated arm 3-D measurement systems have a variety of uses in the automotive, aerospace and general industrial markets. They are particularly useful for applications such as large aerospace assemblies, where bringing the measuring device to the workpiece is more practical than bringing the workpiece to a measuring device.

In July, Hexagon announced the purchase of Romer SA (France). The two companies with the common name Romer also share a common history; they were a single unit from inception in 1986 until a split in 1999. Hexagon's purchase of both companies brings the name Romer and the two companies back under common ownership.

Bill Gruber, president of Hexagon Metrology North America states, "The purchase of Romer CimCore along with Romer SA solidifies Hexagon's position within the articulated arm market. It's an important and growing hardware segment, and a perfect complement to our bridge CMM lines. Plus, articulated arms are yet another example of the many metrology products that are supported by our common Enterprise Metrology Solution, PC-DMIS."

Homer Eaton, founder of Romer CimCore Inc., says, "As we've publicly stated, Romer CimCore has been searching for a partner with the resources to help us grow our business. We're very pleased to be part of the world-class Hexagon organization that has the resources and the vision to help us succeed."