Goodfellow creates US manufacturing footprint by acquiring Potomac Photonics

The acquisition by the Huntingdon-based advanced materials and metals supplier of Potomac Photonics – a microfabrication specialist based in Baltimore – is believed to have cost unspecified millions of dollars. The strategic deal is designed to increase Goodfellow’s presence in the rapidly expanding medical device sector and microfluidics.

Potomac is a key enabler for numerous promising biomedical applications ranging from cell therapies to cancer diagnostics.

Simon Kenney, Chief Executive Officer of Goodfellow, which is owned by Battery Ventures in Boston, Massachusetts, says: “This acquisition ticks all the right boxes for us. As a net global exporter, bringing Potomac Photonics into the family allows us to increase our range of products, gives us greater post-processing capabilities and, importantly, delivers a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in the United States.

“Having supplied materials for many breakthroughs, with Lawrence Livermore’s nuclear fusion reaction one prominent example, I’ve always said that our customers go on to do something truly remarkable with the materials they source from us.

“We are often the first step of this process. and can now offer a full range of high-end material capabilities. This means we will be better able to support our customers along their journey from research to production.”

Potomac has a long history of helping clients develop high-quality miniature components.

Leveraging a broad range of technologies, the company is well-equipped to micromachine a wide range of materials such as polymers, metals, ceramics, and glass with feature sizes on the micron-scale that cannot be seen with the naked eye. It serves as a true partner to its clients, with an ability to scale from single prototypes to millions of parts for production.

Mike Adelstein, President and Co-Owner of Potomac, was excited to complete the deal: “Having used Goodfellow’s products for more than two decades, I was greatly humbled and honoured by the opportunity to partner with the Goodfellow team,” he commented.

“As a business passionate about helping customers solve difficult materials and machining challenges, having access to its global network of clients will enable us to accelerate our reach across key geographies and markets.”

Andrew Watson, Goodfellow’s Chief Financial Officer, said the acquisition represented “a great strategic fit” and said the company viewed the United States as “a vitally important growth market for our business.”

He added: “We are excited to add more critical mass to the regional sales office we already have out there.

“With Potomac serving as the group’s US hub, we are excited to continue supporting its advanced machining capabilities, while simultaneously building out our existing range of products in the States.”

Goodfellow supplies a broad range of metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, compounds and composites and recently launched new branding to reflect the modern-day image of the business.

Established in 1946, it has grown organically into a multinational organisation with subsidiaries across Europe, North America, and China, and carries an extensive product range consisting of over 150,000 items available in stock.

Goodfellow received an investment from Battery Ventures in 2021, serving as a starting point for a new advanced materials platform.