TAIPEI -- A subsidiary of Delta Electronics will acquire Universal Instruments for $88.9 million, Delta announced today. The transaction is subject to certain closing conditions, and is expected to generate substantial synergies by through the companies' respective R&D operations and global customer base.

Universal Instruments is a North America-based OEM of electronics placement equipment. Delta Electronics, founded in 1971, is an OEM of switching power supplies and thermal management products. Following the aforementioned transaction, Universal Instruments will continue operating under its original management team.

"Universal Instruments has built a remarkable track record and long-lasting customer relationships in the electronics manufacturing field, which is a key focus of Delta's industrial automation business, said Ping Cheng, chief executive, Delta Electronics. "Furthermore, by adding Universal's precision automation machine offering and leading technologies to our highly diversified industrial automation portfolio, we can offer customers total solutions capable of enhancing the productivity and carbon footprint of their production lines. Universal Instruments' rich experiences in standard automation machines will also enhance Delta's product development processes. We look forward to cooperating deeply with Universal Instruments to accelerate the development of Delta's next-generation smart manufacturing solutions."

"Delta has been a long-term customer partner of Universal Instruments, and we are privileged to now be part of the Delta family," said Jean-Luc Pelissier, chief executive, Universal. "Delta's global scale, strong presence in Asia, smart manufacturing prowess, and deep understanding of electronics automation needs supports our technology development and growth strategy. This unique combination will expand our scalability, improve our global reach, and also complement our supply chain and manufacturing footprint, thereby greatly benefiting all our customers."

Conklin, NY-based Universal Instruments has more than 500 patents and close to 30,000 systems delivered. The deal includes Universal Instruments' Advanced Process Lab (APL), which assists customers in each phase of the products' lifecycle (prototyping, process development, analytics, and advanced assembly).