Omron is buying the safety products group of California-based Scientific Technologies Incorporated (STI), for $94m, plus cash and working-capital adjustments. Omron predicts that the acquisition will help to triple the size of its safety business from ¥10bn (£48m) last year to ¥30bn (£144m) by 2008. The deal excludes STI`s automation products group.

Omron says that it already leads the Japanese safety devices market and that the new acquisition will make it a major player in the $940m global market for these products, which is expanding at about 15% a year.

Last year, Omron`s Industrial Automation Business (IAB) established a dedicated safety devices division and this is already offering an expanded range of safety components, networks and consulting services. It says that STI`s portfolio of safety light curtains, laser scanners and related products will further enhance its line-up, and accelerate the development of new products.

"Together, Omron IAB and STI will create a global safety equipment supplier of safety, sensing and control technologies that satisfies customers` demands for, not just labour productivity, but also product quality, employee safety, and environmental friendliness," says IAB president, Fumio Tateisi. "By acquiring STI, we will be able to offer a wider range of cutting-edge safety products and consultancy services to our customers."