Jan 3, 2022

Mergers & Acquisitions in 2021 January 3, 2022  |  Editorial Team 2021 was an extension of 2020 with the second wave of Covid-19 almost paralyzing the entire world in the first half of the year. However, with experience gained last year, companies were less impacted as they evolved to a hybrid working structure and were able to get work down in spite of lockdowns and restrictions. This year saw digital infrastructure development like never before, from widespread deployment and adoption of 5G, more members in broadband alliances, seamless Wi-Fi deployment to acceleration in 6G R&D. 2021 saw multiple mergers or acquisitions taking place throughout the year in the RF & Microwave Industry. Some key acquisitions and mergers completed this year included Renesas Acquiring Dialog Semiconductors, Quantic Electronics’ acquisition of Planar Monolithics Industries, Kyocera & AVX forming "KYOCERA AVX", NI Acquiring monoDrive, Knowles’ acquisition of Integrated Microwave Corporation and more. Here is the complete list of all the mergers/acquisitions that made headlines RF & Microwave Industry. Wireless Telecom Group announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Microlab LLC radio frequency components business to RF Industries for an aggregate cash consideration of $24.25 million. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by the board of directors of both companies, is subject to various terms and conditions, including approval by Wireless Telecom Group’s shareholders. The Company will file a proxy statement regarding the proposed transaction with the Security and Exchange Commission. Read more Molex , a global electronics provider, and connectivity innovator has acquired core technology and intellectual property (IP) from Keyssa Inc., a pioneer in high-speed contactless connectors. The acquisition of this unique wireless chip-to-chip technology, including over 350 filed patent applications, will accelerate Molex's strategy to further expand and diversify its micro connector portfolio with highly flexible, cable-free connectors for near-field, device-to-device applications. Read more Safran announced that it has entered into exclusive discussions to acquire Orolia from Eurazeo. Orolia is one of the world leaders in Resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) solutions which improve the reliability, performance, and safety of critical civilian, military and space operations, including in harsh or altered Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) environments. Orolia has a broad portfolio of technologies across the Resilient PNT value-chain with full system capabilities and is a provider of PNT equipment, simulation, and test solutions. Orolia also provides emergency locator beacons for commercial aviation and military applications. Read more Mercury Systems , a leader in trusted, secure mission-critical technologies for aerospace and defense has acquired Atlanta Micro, Inc. (Atlanta Micro). Based in Norcross, Ga., Atlanta Micro is a leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance RF modules and components, including advanced monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) which are critical for high-speed data acquisition applications including electronic warfare, radar, and weapons. Under the terms of the purchase agreement, Mercury acquired Atlanta Micro for all cash, subject to net working capital and net debt adjustments. Read more Communications & Power Industries has completed the previously announced acquisition of L3 ESSCO from an affiliate of L3Harris Technologies . ESSCO manufactures metal space frame ground radomes, as well as specialty radomes and composite structures, primarily for government and defense customers. ESSCO will join CPI's existing radome business, CPI Radant Technologies Division, as part of CPI's Satcom & Antenna Technologies business unit. The acquisition combines ESSCO's expertise in large, sophisticated radio-frequency (RF) ground structures and advanced alternative materials with CPI's proficiency in airborne and shipboard radomes using high-performance, low-loss composite materials. Read more AmpliTech Group , a designer, developer, and manufacturer of state-of-the-art signal-processing components for satellite and 5G communications networks, defense, space, and other commercial applications, has announced that it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets and operations of Spectrum Semiconductor Materials Inc. , a rapidly growing global specialty distributor of semiconductor components based in San Jose, CA. The transaction is expected to close within the fiscal year 2021, subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions. Read more Rogers Corporation has entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by DuPont in an all-cash transaction that values Rogers at approximately $5.2 billion. The transaction delivers substantial value to Rogers’ shareholders, who will receive $277 in cash per share, representing a 33% premium over Rogers’ closing share price on November 1, 2021, and a 46% premium to the 1-month volume-weighted average share price. Following the closing of the transaction, Rogers will be integrated into DuPont’s Electronics & Industrial business unit. Read more Viasat Inc. , a global communications company, and Inmarsat , a leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, have announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Viasat will acquire Inmarsat in a transaction valued at $7.3 billion, comprised of $850.0 million in cash, approximately 46.36 million shares of Viasat common stock valued at $3.1 billion based on the closing price on Friday, November 5, 2021, and the assumption of $3.4 billion of net debt. The combination will create a leading global communications innovator with enhanced scale and scope to affordably, securely, and reliably connect the world. Read more Naprotek , a global provider of high-reliability, quick-turn electronics manufacturing, has completed the acquisition of SemiGen , a privately held company based in Londonderry, New Hampshire. This increases Naprotek's capabilities to include advanced RF/Microwave products, assembly, and test services and expands their reach across the United States. Read more Orolia , the world leader in Resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) solutions, has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Seven Solutions , the developer of White Rabbit sub-nanosecond time transfer and synchronization technology. This transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and approvals required by the Spanish government and is expected to close before the end of the year. The merger with the tech company based in Granada, Spain will enhance Orolia’s portfolio for defense, aerospace, data centers, telecom, financial services, smart grids, and other critical infrastructure industries and will enable the next generation applications dependent on ultra-precise, resilient timing, and frequency technology. Read more Akoustis Technologies , an integrated device manufacturer (IDM) of patented bulk acoustic wave (BAW) high-band RF filters for mobile and other wireless applications, announced that it is acquiring a 51% majority ownership position of RFM Integrated Device with the right to purchase the remaining 49% in 2022. Read more Sivers Semiconductors has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of the share capital of MixComm , a US-based mmWave challenger fabless semiconductor company, for an initial purchase price of USD 135 million (approximately SEK 1,173 million) on a debt-free basis. The consideration will be paid through a combination of USD 22.5 million (SEK 196 million) in cash and USD 112.5 million (approximately SEK 978 million) in 39,335,664 newly issued Sivers shares based on the 10-day volume-weighted average price of a Sivers share prior to the signing of the agreement. Read more Rogers Corporation has announced its acquisition of Silicone Engineering Ltd ., a leading European manufacturer of silicone material solutions based in Lancashire, UK. Silicone Engineering expands Rogers’ existing advanced silicones platform and provides Rogers with a European Center of Excellence to service customers requiring premium silicone solutions for applications in the EV/HEV, Industrial, Medical, and other markets. Read more dB Control , an international defense electronics manufacturer and subsidiary of HEICO Corporation has acquired 100% of Paciwave for cash paid at closing. The acquisition will add specialized RF and microwave components – as well as integrated microwave subsystems – to dB Control’s existing product line for military organizations, major defense contractors, and commercial OEMs. These new products will be designed and manufactured specifically for defense and complex electronics applications that require PIN diode switches, PIN attenuators, PIN limiters, switching assemblies, and integrated subsystems. Read more Maury Microwave , a pioneering leader in RF calibration, measurement, and modeling solutions backed by Artemis Capital Partners , announced that it has completed the acquisition of dBm Corp . dBm expands Maury's test and measurement technology portfolio into the emulation market. Founded in 1999, dBm is a leading designer and manufacturer of wireless link emulation equipment used for research & development, qualification, and production verification testing in the satellite and wireless communication industries. Read more L3Harris Technologies has completed the sale of its Electron Devices and Narda Microwave-West businesses to Arlington Capital Partners , a Washington, DC-area private equity firm. The first we heard of this was in August 2021. Proceeds from the divestitures are expected to be used for share repurchases. The businesses were part of L3Harris’ Aviation Systems segment and are leading providers of RF amplification products for the space, electronic warfare, radar, medical, and industrial end markets. The businesses have more than 800 employees across its three facilities in Torrance, CA, Williamsport, PA, and Folsom, CA. Read more CAES (Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions) announced that it has acquired Colorado Engineering , a leading Radio Frequency (RF) and high-performance computing (HPC) solutions provider in Colorado Springs, Colo. CEI’s cutting-edge advancements in providing solutions to complex defense and commercial systems, along with their extensive experience in RF, digital, analog hardware, and software solutions, complement CAES’ leading RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave expertise and manufacturing capabilities across advanced electronics that serve the Aerospace and Defense industry. Read more TE Connectivity (TE) , has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the antennas business from Laird Connectivity . The acquisition of the Laird antennas business complements TE’s broad connectivity product portfolio, particularly in antenna and wireless solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT) devices and Edge Access. The acquisition will also expand TE’s engineering and manufacturing footprint and strengthen TE’s presence in several attractive market segments. Read more MoSys , a provider of semiconductor solutions that enable fast, intelligent data access for cloud, networking, security, and communications systems, and Peraso Technologies , a global leader in the development of 5G mmWave silicon devices, have announced the signing of a definitive agreement for a business combination by way of a statutory plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario). Read more Murata Manufacturing announced that they have completed the acquisition of Eta Wireless , the developer of Digital Envelope Tracking Technology that can dramatically reduce the power consumption of RF circuits involved in wireless communications. With this acquisition, Murata Manufacturing is aiming to provide superior RF products through the synergy between their electronic components and design techniques for RF circuits and the Digital Envelope Tracking Technology of Eta Wireless. Read more Quantic Electronics , a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management ("Arcline"), has announced yet another acquisition of a capacitor company - Paktron Capacitors ("Paktron"), a leader in the design and manufacture of multilayer polymer film capacitors. Founded in 1953, Paktron is one of the oldest capacitor manufacturers in the United States with an innovative portfolio of polymer film capacitor products, including miniature radial leaded capacitors, lead-frame capacitors, surface mount chips capacitors, and RC network snubber capacitors. Paktron's products are used in high-reliability applications across the defense, space, telecommunications, alternate energy, automotive, and other industrial end markets. Read more Knowles , a provider of a wide variety of highly engineered Capacitors and Microwave to Millimeter-Wave components announced the acquisition of Integrated Microwave Corporation . IMC is a leading designer and manufacturer of precision RF and microwave filters and multiplexers, quadrature couplers, and ceramic coaxial resonators. IMC is AS9100D certified and they work with all major defense contractors, NASA, JPL, APL, Blue Origin, SpaceX as well as a number of commercial entities delivering EM, qualification, flight hardware, lab use hardware, and test fixtures in prototype to production quantities. IMC is a proud supplier to NASA and has participated in every Mars mission since 2000. Read more Quantic Electronics , a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management, announced the acquisition of BEI Precision Systems & Space Company Inc from J F Lehman & Company. BEI Precision designs, engineers, and manufactures highly accurate, resilient, and reliable position feedback sensors and frequency reference technologies for mission-critical space, land, air, and sea applications. The Company's products are designed into many of the US government's highest-priority, long-life programs. Read more COMSovereign , a U.S.-based developer of 4G LTE Advanced and 5G Communication Systems and Solutions, announced that it has acquired RF Engineering & Energy Resource (RFEQ) , a specialist in the design, outsourced manufacturing, and distribution of ultra-high performance microwave antennas and other branded solutions for the wireless and wireline industries in the United States and Latin America. Terms of the transaction include total consideration of approximately $2.2 million worth of shares of restricted common stock and $550,000 in cash. Read more Abracon announced the successful acquisitions of Proant AB and Proant Asia Limited, privately held antenna suppliers headquartered in Umeå, Sweden, and Hong Kong, respectively. Both companies will now operate under Abracon's new ProAnt brand. Abracon will retain facilities in both Sweden and Hong Kong. Read more Communications & Power Industries (CPI) has successfully completed the purchase of TMD Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries, including TMD Technologies Limited and TMD Technologies, LLC (together, TMD). This Acquisition will expand CPI's electron device capabilities and product offerings for defense and commercial markets. TMD is a world-leading designer and manufacturer of technologically advanced microwave, radiofrequency, and high voltage equipment for radar, electronic warfare, communications, medical, EMC testing, and scientific applications. Read more Microwave Techniques LLC (MT), the parent company of both Maine-based Mega Industries (MEGA) and New Hampshire-based Ferrite Microwave Technologies (FMT) announced that it has acquired all of the assets and IP of Raleigh, North Carolina based Industrial Microwave Systems , LLC. (IMS) from Laitram . These two long-time leading microwave systems brands are recognized worldwide for innovative and robust designs and reliability. The merging of the brands, IP, and products related to IMS’s Single-Mode Continuous Fluid and Solid Processing Systems and Ferrite’s Multi-Mode Batch and Continuous Tempering and Drying Systems into the Microwave Techniques portfolio offers customers a one-stop source for lab and commercial scale microwave systems covering Tempering, Drying, Heating, Cooking, Bonding, Curing, Reacting, Cracking, Sterilizing belt/Continuous, Batch and Fluid/Slurry Heating. Read more Maury Microwave , a leading RF calibration, measurement, and modeling solutions company, has been acquired by Artemis Capital Partners (Artemis) , a Boston-based private equity firm focused on buying and building exceptional Industrial Technology companies. Maury has served as a trusted technology solutions partner to many of the world's leading manufacturers in wireless technology since 1957. Across the telecommunications, semiconductor, aerospace, defense, instrumentation, and research industries, Maury's technology portfolio enables its customers to push the boundary of wireless technology. Read more Advanced Energy , a global leader in precision power conversion measurement and control solutions, has announced the acquisition of TEGAM Inc , a leading provider of metrology and calibration instrumentation used in semiconductor and advanced industrial markets. Based in Geneva, Ohio, TEGAM strengthens Advanced Energy’s leadership in process power by adding complementary RF power instruments and calibration systems and further expands its presence in several advanced industrial markets. Under the terms of the agreement, Advanced Energy paid $18 million in cash for the acquisition, subject to customary adjustments for net working capital. TEGAM generated approximately $10 million in revenue for its fiscal year ending October 2020. The company expects the acquisition to be accretive to 2021 earnings on a non-GAAP basis. Read more Mercury Systems, Inc ., a leader in trusted, secure mission-critical technologies for aerospace and defense, has announced the acquisition of Pentek Technologies, LLC and Pentek Systems, Inc. (collectively, Pentek ). Based in Upper Saddle River, N.J., Pentek is a leading designer and manufacturer of ruggedized, high-performance, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software-defined radio and data acquisition boards, recording systems, and subsystems for high-end commercial and defense applications. Read more Keysight Technologies has announced the acquisition of Quantum Benchmark , a leader in error diagnostics, error suppression, and performance validation software for quantum computing. Based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Quantum Benchmark was a privately held company backed by venture funds VanEdge Capital and Quantonation. Quantum Benchmark provides software solutions for improving and validating quantum computing hardware capabilities by identifying and overcoming the unique error challenges required for high-impact quantum computing. Read more Qorvo , a provider of innovative radio frequency (RF) solutions that connect the world, announced today that it has acquired Mountain View, California-based NextInput , a pioneer in the emerging field of force-sensing solutions for human-machine interface (HMI). NextInput has shipped tens of millions of MEMS-based sensors to manufacturers of smartphones, wearables, automobiles, and other applications. The acquisition of NextInput expands Qorvo's technology portfolio and enables Qorvo to accelerate the deployment of force-sensing solutions utilizing MEMS-based sensors. Read more Skyworks Solutions has entered into a definitive agreement with Silicon Laboratories under which Skyworks will acquire the Infrastructure & Automotive business of Silicon Labs in an all-cash asset transaction valued at $2.75 billion. Silicon Laboratories is a leading provider of silicon, software, and solutions for a smarter, more connected world. Read more Siemens Digital Industries Software has signed an agreement with London-based Azini Capital to acquire OneSpin Solutions , a leading provider of formal verification software that helps ensure integrated circuit (IC) integrity and enables functionally correct, safe, trustworthy, and secure IC designs. Headquartered in Munich, OneSpin Solutions has developed a strong, fast-growing business by providing a broad portfolio of formal applications ("apps") for assuring IC designs operate as intended under the most adverse environmental conditions across key growth markets. Read more Keysight Technologies has announced the successful acquisition of Sanjole , a leading provider of protocol decoding and interoperability of 4G, 5G, and other wireless technology solutions. As 5G technology evolves and deployments of private 5G networks scale, customers benefit from an integrated solution that enables them to troubleshoot issues in complex communication systems. Sanjole offers hardware and software technology that enables customers across the communications ecosystem – from chipset manufacturers to operators to network equipment manufacturers – to identify and resolve problems between the devices and the network being tested, ensuring communication quality. Read more Renesas Electronics Corporation , a supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, and Dialog Semiconductor , a provider of power management, charging, AC/DC power conversion, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology, announced that they have reached an agreement on the terms of an all-cash acquisition by Renesas of Dialog for EUR 67.50 per share, for a total equity value of approximately EUR 4.9 billion (approximately 615.7 billion yen). Read more Arcline Investment Management announced the formation of Quantic , a company established to provide mission-critical electronics components for high-value applications. Quantic brings together Evans Capacitor Company , Ohmega Technologies and now TRM Microwave . TRM is a global leader in custom radio frequency (RF) and microwave components, integrated assemblies and subsystem solutions for the military, space and commercial markets. TRM's portfolio of proven, mission-critical products serve as the building blocks for higher-level integrated assemblies, and the Company utilizes a unique combination of core technologies including Ferrite, Coaxial, Microstrip, Stripline, Airline and Airstrip. Read more