Element Materials Technology (Element), a global leader in testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) services, has completed its acquisition of National Technical Systems (NTS) and received all necessary regulatory approvals.

Based in Anaheim, California, NTS is the leading provider of qualification testing, inspection, and certification services in North America. NTS serves a wide range of end markets including space, defense, aerospace and connected technologies. Its experienced team of over 1,100 experts provides safety-critical solutions with capabilities in product qualification and certification, supply chain and product/process auditing, and a broad range of testing services including EMC/EMI, materials and climatic testing. The inspection division is accredited by many international organisations and operates under the Unitek name while its certification division, NQA, is one of the largest global ISO registrars in the world. It has an established, laboratory-based footprint, with 29 laboratories in North America.

The acquisition of NTS will further enhance Element's capability to be a partner throughout the product lifecycle for its customers. It will strengthen Element's growing platform in North America and enhance its capabilities in telecoms, connected automotive, medical device and battery testing, all critical growth drivers. The combination of NTS and Element creates significant growth opportunities and expects to hire 1,000 people over the next two years to meet the demand for the combined services. The combined company's financial and operational resources and scale will significantly broaden its ability to service customers all around the world.

Jo Wetz, Chief Executive Officer of Element, said: “We are pleased to have successfully acquired NTS, a company we have long respected for their talented colleagues and extensive expertise across multiple end-markets. NTS is a strategic acquisition for Element, bringing greater scale and complementary sector knowledge in North America and globally. Together, we will be able to further extend our portfolio of services across some of our most important end markets, bringing improved support for our customers all around the world. ”

Ray Milchovich, Chief Executive Officer of NTS, commented: “We are thrilled to be joining the Element family, building on the success NTS has achieved over the last six decades. The unique combination of our expertise and sector reach will offer significant opportunities for our customers. We are also excited about the opportunities this will create for our employees”.