Metrawatt acquires Seaward Group

Seaward will now become part of the GMC Instrumentation Division, a group of separate specialist T&M manufacturing businesses based in Germany, Switzerland and the USA and with a global international sales network. Under the terms of the deal, the Seaward Group name and its brands will remain intact and manufacturing will continue at the company’s operation in County Durham. Rod Taylor, founder of Seaward, said: “This is a very positive development for both companies, bringing new opportunities in terms of enhanced technical capabilities and stronger global market presence. “Seaward has been very successful as an independent T&M business, but developing a global presence is a significant challenge and being an important part of a larger multinational group brings the opportunity for the business to achieve this much more quickly and effectively. “Our presence in the UK will remain as strong as it always has been. In fact, one of the attractions of linking up with GMC means that Seaward can make the most of the high global growth potential of its products without losing its brand identity or the core values that have contributed to the company’s success.” Dr Hans-Peter Opitz, chairman of Metrawatt International, said: “We are delighted to have added Seaward to our portfolio of instrumentation companies. “There are parts of the world and specific markets where Seaward products are already strong that have the potential for GMC growth, and, similarly, there are areas where GMC’s presence can now provide a platform for expansion of Seaward’s technology. “The prospects for both Seaward and the enlarged GMC Instrumentation Division are therefore very bright and we look forward to a successful future together.” Metrawatt International also owns GMC-I-ProSys in Skelmersdale, a manufacturer of current probes and voltage measurement instrumentation. As part of the new arrangements Rod Taylor, founder of Seaward in 1982, has announced his retirement from the business. The new managing director of Seaward is Andrew Upton, who joined the company as sales director in 2006. Andrew was formerly Vice President of Seaward Group USA and returned to the UK earlier this year.