Morpho Detection Completes Acquisition of Syagen Technology

Morpho Detection, the explosives and narcotics detection business of Morpho, Safran group's security unit, today announced it has completed the acquisition of Syagen Technology, Inc. of Tustin, Calif. Syagen is a leading mass spectrometry technology development company focused on security applications.

The acquisition of Syagen strengthens MDI's position as the industry-leading provider of explosives and narcotics trace detection solutions for the homeland security and defense markets. Combining Syagen's world-class technologies with MDI's global commercial and service reach is expected to generate strong growth potential and offer enhanced explosives trace detection capabilities, especially against emerging non-conventional explosives and other chemical threats.

"Syagen's unique mass spectrometry technology combined with Morpho Detection's patented Ion Trap Mobility Spectrometry® trace detection will help us deliver the solutions customers need for detecting tomorrow's non-conventional explosives threats," said Brad Buswell, president and CEO, Morpho Detection, Inc. "Syagen's team of mass spectrometry experts and their world-class technologies will help us take trace detection solutions to the next level of detection effectiveness and operational efficiency."

"The Syagen team is excited to be able to advance its growth track record as a part of the global Morpho Detection family," said Jack Syage, founder and CEO of Syagen Technology and leader of MDI's Mass Spectrometry Center of Excellence. "With MDI's world-class resources and Syagen's industry-leading mass spectrometry technologies we look forward to accelerating the development of new solutions that will help meet tomorrow's homeland security and defense challenges."

MDI will operate Syagen, now a wholly owned subsidiary of MDI, as a mass spectrometry technical center of excellence, developing its next generation of explosives, narcotics and chemical/biological trace detection systems for its high-profile public, private and government customers around the world.

The acquisition has been reviewed and approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and is effective immediately.