Sonomatic announces agreement to acquire Tube Inspection Division of Archipax

WARRINGTON, England -- Sonomatic has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Tube Inspection Division of Archipax. The acquisition is expected to broaden the range of capabilities and services available to Sonomatic’s current and future clients.

Leading what is to be called the Sonomatic Tube Division is Ian van Bosch, former owner of Archipax. Mr. van Bosch joined Sonomatic in 2014 as a head consultant for tube inspections. After a tremendously successful year it was effortlessly determined that merging the full Archipax Tube Inspection capabilities would be a logical next step. In early 2015, Sonomatic acquired the remainder of the tube division competences, evolving full tube division capabilities including inspection, research and development and workshop capabilities. Through the acquisition Sonomatic will now be able to offer inspection personnel, probe and equipment development for Boiler Tubes, Heat Exchangers/Chillers and Fin Fan Coolers, in addition to their full range of existing capabilities in NDT inspections.

Sonomatic’s Tube Division team has inordinate experience in various tube inspection techniques, including IRIS (Internal Rotating Inspection System), Eddy Current for tube inspection, Remote Field Eddy Current and Magnetic Bias Eddy Current. The division also supplements a new capability to Sonomatic’s pipe scanning techniques in SEF Bias Eddy Current inspection, adding to the company’s growing options for rapid screening of pipelines.

Sonomatic, which has Australian offices in Perth and Brisbane, is a market leader in the application of NDT and non-intrusive inspection (NII) methodology across the oil and gas industry worldwide.

"The acquisition of the Tube Inspection Division of Archipax reconfirms Sonomatic as a leader in the very competitive NDT market," said Zach Mccann, Australian Regional Manager, Sonomatic. "Sonomatic’s leadership in ultrasonic inspection services, now combined with the knowledge and experience in the tube inspection field, provides our clients with the broadest range of NDT solutions in the industry. The acquisition expands Sonomatic’s range of services significantly, and builds on our strength as a leading company. We look forward to offering our clients the most innovative solutions for their needs, and welcoming the tube inspection division team from Archipax."

Ian van Bosch brings 13 years of dedicated experience in tube inspections, data analysis, site management and research and development of NDT techniques and general planning. Prior to his NDT career, Mr van Bosch worked in the IT industry, ensuring full computer literacy and software development skills. Combining his knowledge and experience in software development and NDT, Mr van Bosch developed 3D walkthrough models of Heat Exchangers to display results from NDT in electronic format, as well as an inspection reporting system that is one of a kind in the world. Mr van Bosch, together with all six former employees of the Tube Inspection Division of Archipax who joined Sonomatic this year through the acquisition, brings more than 100 combined years of experience in the tube inspection field to Sonomatic’s recently formed division.

“We believe that through the merger, the tube inspection division can offer significant benefits to Sonomatic’s current range of services, broadening the company’s overall scope of work,” said Ian van Bosch, former owner, Archipax. “We look forward to joining the talented Sonomatic team and to contributing to the company’s ongoing growth and success.”