Shimadzu to acquire Tescan for $678m, boosting microscopy portfolio

Shimadzu Corporation has reached a final agreement with Carlyle to acquire all shares of Glass HoldCo, a special purpose company that indirectly holds all shares in Tescan Group, a leading European electron microscope company. This acquisition, scheduled for completion in the first half of calendar year 2026, aims to integrate Tescan’s surface observation and analysis technologies with Shimadzu’s composition and physical property analysis capabilities.

The acquisition price is approximately $678 million, with additional advisory fees and related costs estimated at approximately $11.6 million. Tescan, a pioneer in electron microscopy with over 4,000 units sold globally, offers a range of instruments including Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM), Focused-Ion Beam SEM (FIB-SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEM), and Micro-CT systems.

Since a business alliance agreement in July 2024, Shimadzu and Tescan have collaborated, launching joint brand products like the "SUPERSCAN SS-4000," "SUPERSCAN SS-3000," and "SUPERSCAN SS-2000" in Japan.

This transaction aligns with Shimadzu’s "2023-2025 Medium-Term Management Plan" to transform into a total solution provider. Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co., Ltd. and Clifford Chance served as financial and legal advisors, respectively. The impact on Shimadzu's consolidated earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, is currently under assessment.