394:(representing the company's diversified electronics and video editing hardware and software portfolio). The split was concomitant with the divestiture of numerous subsidiaries, including Whistler Corporation, a maker of car alarm and radar detector equipment that was one of Dynatech's largest and most profitable subsidiaries. In February 1996, Utah Scientific was spun-off from Dynatech into its own separate corporation, with only da Vinci Systems being retained by Dynatech. In the same month, the company sold its medical equipment division to
340:, but it encountered heavy losses in the 1980s, with sales shrinking from a high of $ 50 million down to $ 10 million by early 1987, when Dynatech acquired it. Cromemco survived as a subsidiary of Dynatech, who allowed Cromemco to retain their name. Cromemco's owners opted to rename themselves to Dynatech Computer Systems, however, on the strength of Dynatech's name and to shield the company from associations with Cromemco's widely reported decline. Following the acquisition of Cromemco, Dynatech's Utah Scientific division purchased
35:
412:
457:, then the second-largest manufacturer of laboratory test equipment, for $ 600 million. In June 2000, Dynatech acquired Superior Electronics Group, a maker of cable television testing equipment for $ 152 million, merging it with TTC and Wavetek in May 2000 to form Cheetah Technologies. In that same month, Dynatech was renamed to Acterna Corporation and began trading on the
421:
After completing its divestiture program, Dynatech was down to its final divisions, comprising their namesake business, which sold networking test equipment; da Vinci
Systems, which sold color-correction hardware and software; Airshow, Inc., which delivered real-time video feeds of flight information
388:
Despite its consistent sales successes, the company's profits began shrinking in the early 1990s, and in 1993, Dynatech recorded its first annual loss, posting a net loss of roughly $ 30 million. Dynatech's shareholders charged the company with over-diversifying, with excessive amount of product
308:
and video effects units (later renamed Delta in the 1990s). Dynatech's acquisitions continued apace throughout the late 1980s, the company acquiring a total of 53 companies between 1977 and 1987. According to Ronald O. Bub, whose semiconductor company Trigon
Industries was acquired by Dynatech during
209:(MIT) where he taught mechanical engineering and headed MIT's Heat Transfer Laboratory. Barger was a graduate student of Rohsenow who later joined MIT faculty and aided Rohsenow in his efforts to provide research and development services to governmental and industrial clients wanting to make use of
380:
Rohsenow retired as full-time chairman of
Dynatech in June 1991, with Barger (at that point the company's CEO) taking his seat. Despite his retirement, Rohsenow remained on the board of directors as honorary chairman. John F. Reno simultaneously succeeded Barger as president of Dynatech; he joined
283:
In 1978, Dynatech formed a fourth division of the company, Utah
Scientific, centered on broadcasting technology. This division, as well as their data communications business, eclipsed Dynatech's medical division starting in the mid-1980s, helped along by numerous diverse acquisitions of technology
393:
of the company. In order to satisfy their shareholders, Dynatech undertook a massive restructuring of the company in 1994, dividing the company into two segments: Information
Support Products (representing Dynatech's video, data, and voice communications portfolio) and Diversified Instrumentation
254:
analyzer used by physicians to derive optimal dosages of antibiotics. By 1979, Dynatech's medical equipment division accounted for roughly $ 13.8 million of the company's $ 27.5 million in revenue that year, compared to $ 9.2 million generated by the company's data communications
213:
technology. Microtech was founded to commercialize their services. In the early 1960s, the two pivoted
Microtech from being a consulting business to being a manufacturer of precision electronics. Deviating from the advice of their colleagues to develop a singularly focused but strong scientific
183:
researchers and soon grew into a multifaceted corporation, helped along by dozens of acquisitions of small niche manufacturers across the United States. At its peak in the early 1990s, the company posted over $ 500 million in sales, largely generated from its video and telecommunications
221:
system called the Multi-Circuit Jack, released in the early 1960s and later renamed the Dyna-Patch. It supported a number of connector types and protocols through a system of adapters, allowing signals to be broken down into constituent parts for more efficient data transfers. Microtech's
230:
in precise amounts on the order of microliters. The system allowed laboratory technicians to perform biological and immunological tests with a greater degree of precision. By the end of the 1960s, the company had renamed itself to
Dynatech and was worth US$ 5 million.
179:, that owned a wide variety of manufacturing subsidiaries across multiple industries, including biomedical equipment, video and broadcast hardware and software, scientific instrumentation, and telecommunications testing, among others. It was founded by 1959 by a pair of
284:
companies serving niche markets. The broadcasting and data communications sectors represented two-thirds of the company's $ 147 million annuals sales figure for 1984. Notable among
Dynatech's acquisitions in these fields were of
184:
businesses. Following poor performance in the mid-1990s, the company divested many of its redundant businesses, culminating in its purchase by a private equity company in 1997. In 2000, it began trading as
477:. It emerged from bankruptcy in October 2003, following a reorganization that saw some of their debt swapped for equity and the company delisting itself from the Nasdaq, going private. In May 2005,
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product line, Rohsenow and Barger opted to instead diversify, setting their sights on the medical equipment and data communications fields on top of myriad scientific instruments.
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Dynatech was founded as
Microtech Research Corporation in 1959 by Warren M. Rohsenow and J. P. Barger. Prior to founding Microtech, Rohsenow was a professor at the
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292:, makers of computer meteorology systems and computerized weather graphics systems for broadcasters, in late 1982. In 1984, the company completed their acquisition of
275:), but made strong gains in the medical and data communications sectors. After a brief period of losses, Dynatech's revenue recovered to $ 27.5 million in 1983.
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Dynatech's steady growth was helped along by the acquisition of small companies specializing in niche interests, starting in 1968 with the publicly traded
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in 1987. Dynatech's sales peaked at over $ 500 million in fiscal year 1992, at which point the company spanned 40 subsidiaries across the globe.
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852:"Following his heart: Artel's CEO ws warned not to fall in love with the video company he brought from 3Com, but did anyway"
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242:. In 1977, Dynatech purchased a majority stake in Artek Systems Corporation, a maker of medical instruments based in
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breakthrough product in the medical sector was an innovative liquid handling system aiding in the dilution of
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for roughly $ 35 million. In
November 1985, Dynatech purchased Quanta Corporation, a manufacturer of
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this period, Rohsenow and Barger allowed their subsidiaries a high degree of autonomy, while threatening
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453:. In February 2000, Dynatech's TTC Corporation subsidiary announced the acquisition of
600:"Weather Central Springs Back: Forecast Sunny Again for Provider of Graphics Systems"
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acquired Acterna for $ 760 million in cash and stock, folding Acterna into JDS.
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1014:"Acterna Files for Bankruptcy; Germantown Telecom Firm Unveils Financing Accord"
250:. In the late 1970s, Dynatech introduced the MIC-2000, a relatively inexpensive
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Microtech's first successful product in the field of data communications was a
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since its foundation and was lauded for its self-reliance and eschewing of
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445:. In December 1997, Dynatech was acquired by the private equity company
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lines across an excessive number of market segments, and threatened a
402:. Utah Scientific was acquired by Artel Video Systems, a spin-off of
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175:, was an American technology corporation originally based in
509:(43). American City Business Journals: 23 – via Gale.
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Faltering, sale to private equity, and renaming (1991–2003)
200:
874:"Dynatech now Acterna, making move from OTC to the Nasdaq"
296:, a maker of radio frequency devices which specialized in
1143:
Defunct telecommunications companies of the United States
464:
995:"Acterna emerges from bankruptcy after only five months"
903:. Cowles Publishing Company: A18 – via ProQuest.
619:"More features, lower costs highlight production gear"
259:
suffered losses in the scientific instrumentation and
682:(12). IDG Publications: 108 – via Google Books.
1033:"JDS Uniphase To Buy Acterna For $ 760 Million"
801:. Dow Jones & Company: A21 – via ProQuest.
416:
Logo of Acterna Corporation, used from 2000 to 2005
1039:. Dow Jones & Company: B3 – via ProQuest.
782:. Dow Jones & Company: B4 – via ProQuest.
545:. Vol. 13. St. James Press. pp. 194–196.
1138:Defunct engineering companies of the United States
1133:Defunct electronics companies of the United States
316:Between January and March 1987, Dynatech acquired
1163:Medical technology companies of the United States
1118:Defunct computer companies based in Massachusetts
1074:
1001:. Dolan Media Newswires: 1 – via ProQuest.
741:on May 19, 2024 – via World Radio History.
1113:Defunct computer companies of the United States
960:. Times-Mirror Company: 3 – via ProQuest.
279:Data communication and broadcasting (1978–1991)
263:division, largely due to the downsizing of the
922:. Miller Freeman plc: 10 – via ProQuest.
246:, which specialized in automated, video-based
988:
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695:"An Electronics Company by Any Other Name..."
313:should they not meet Dynatech's bottom line.
269:Occupational Safety and Health Administration
1158:Electronics companies disestablished in 2005
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542:International Directory of Company Histories
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48:Microtech Research Corporation (1959 –
1183:Technology companies disestablished in 2005
954:"Dynatech to Be Acquired for $ 900 Million"
734:(17). Future Publishing: 76. Archived from
983:
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640:
606:. Capital Newspapers: 1C – via Gale.
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422:and news headlines to airline passengers;
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1168:Networking companies of the United States
1153:Electronics companies established in 1959
1108:Computer companies disestablished in 2005
1098:American companies disestablished in 2005
1178:Technology companies established in 1959
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884:(34). CityMedia: 5 – via ProQuest.
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469:By early 2003, Acterna had relocated to
406:, in April 1997 for an undisclosed sum.
332:. Cromemco had been a mainstay of early
201:Foundation and early success (1959–1978)
1088:2005 disestablishments in Massachusetts
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255:division. The company during the early
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1103:Computer companies established in 1959
1093:American companies established in 1959
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897:"Company takes Itronix off the market"
850:Cooney, Elizabeth M. (July 13, 1997).
849:
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465:Bankruptcy and acquisition (2003–2005)
1030:
992:
973:"Dynatech unveils $ 600M merger deal"
971:McLaughlin, Tim (February 15, 2000).
932:
872:Soule, C. A. (August 21, 2000).
871:
862:
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538:
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207:Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1083:1959 establishments in Massachusetts
894:
814:"Diverse Dynatech poised for growth"
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646:
271:(as well as the undercurrent of the
1123:Defunct computer hardware companies
907:
812:Knell, Michael E. (December 1992).
704:(6). Reed Business Information: 54
571:Dickson, Glen (February 19, 1996).
24:
1128:Defunct computer systems companies
1012:Johnston, Nicholas (May 7, 2003).
952:Staff writer (December 23, 1997).
497:Staff writer (December 14, 1992).
25:
1194:
1059: (archived December 24, 1996)
1046:
993:White, Bobby (October 16, 2003).
914:Staff writer (January 14, 2002).
831:Convey, Eric (February 6, 1996).
793:Staff writer (November 8, 1987).
555:– via the Internet Archive.
1069: (archived December 7, 2000)
693:Knowles, Anne (March 20, 1989).
573:"Dynatech Video Group Breaks Up"
1024:
1005:
964:
945:
935:"Division of GE buys DataViews"
933:Brown, Judson (June 20, 2000).
843:
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719:Staff writer (April 27, 1987).
670:Staff writer (March 23, 1987).
617:Staff writer (April 28, 1996).
598:Richgels, Jeff (May 15, 1998).
348:line of telecine and videotape
328:corporation founded in 1974 in
895:Sowa, Tom (November 9, 2001).
774:Staff writer (July 23, 1991).
760:. GlobalData – via Gale.
712:
686:
663:
647:Lowe, Ann (January 12, 1987).
610:
591:
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381:the company in 1974, becoming
188:. The company was acquired by
173:Microtech Research Corporation
13:
1:
1173:Networking hardware companies
1031:Thrum, Scott (May 24, 2005).
833:"Dynatech sells laboratories"
795:"Dynatech Promotes John Reno"
484:
56:
49:
1148:Defunct networking companies
752:Staff writer (May 5, 1989).
672:"Mergers & Acquisitions"
447:Clayton, Dubilier & Rice
441:; and Dataviews, which sold
160:Clayton, Dubilier & Rice
7:
649:"End of an Era at Cromemco"
583:(8). Future Publishing: 66
120:; 19 years ago
80:; 65 years ago
10:
1199:
1020:: E5 – via ProQuest.
979:: 34 – via ProQuest.
941:: A1 – via ProQuest.
858:: E1 – via ProQuest.
839:: 20 – via ProQuest.
820:: 25 – via ProQuest.
758:Computergram International
195:
1053:Dynatech official website
539:Grant, Tina, ed. (1996).
455:Wavetek Wandel Goltermann
330:Mountain View, California
236:Cooke Engineering Company
177:Burlington, Massachusetts
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91:Burlington, Massachusetts
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1063:Acterna official website
629:. Future Publishing: 56
577:Broadcasting & Cable
294:Controlonics Corporation
1037:The Wall Street Journal
939:Daily Hampshire Gazette
780:The Wall Street Journal
503:Boston Business Journal
451:over-the-counter market
383:chief operating officer
856:Telegram & Gazette
400:Waltham, Massachusetts
360:, a maker of advanced
55:Dynatech Corporation (
653:Computer Systems News
475:Chapter 11 bankruptcy
461:the following month.
428:mobile data terminals
358:Sunnyvale, California
352:, in April 1987; and
350:color correction bays
273:early 1980s recession
257:Reagan administration
244:Farmingdale, New York
916:"German firms merge"
471:Germantown, Maryland
439:industrial computers
306:character generators
265:Department of Energy
240:Alexandria, Virginia
192:in 2005 and folded.
169:Dynatech Corporation
1018:The Washington Post
708:. – via Gale.
698:Electronic Business
659:. – via Gale.
633:. – via Gale.
587:. – via Gale.
186:Acterna Corporation
145:Number of employees
29:
28:Acterna Corporation
655:(296). UBM LLC: 4
149:3,156 (1992, peak)
104:Warren M. Rohsenow
27:
977:The Boston Herald
958:Los Angeles Times
837:The Boston Herald
818:The Boston Herald
354:Parallax Graphics
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107:J. P. Barger
59:1969 – 2000)
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320:, a pioneering
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190:JDS Uniphase
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138:JDS Uniphase
136:Acquired by
754:"Minigrams"
443:X terminals
311:divestiture
224:blood serum
219:patch panel
162:(1997–2005)
1077:Categories
485:References
432:ICS Advent
252:microplate
70:Technology
920:EE Times
346:da Vinci
267:and the
228:reagents
98:Founders
67:Industry
42:Formerly
1065:at the
1055:at the
424:Itronix
300:, from
261:R&D
196:History
123: (
115:Defunct
83: (
75:Founded
18:Acterna
706:et seq
657:et seq
631:et seq
585:et seq
549:
459:Nasdaq
155:Parent
739:(PDF)
724:(PDF)
52:1969)
547:ISBN
404:3Com
368:and
364:for
324:and
288:and
133:Fate
125:2005
118:2005
85:1959
78:1959
732:112
680:XXI
627:110
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