MRI, the parent company of ShockWatch, announced today the acquisition of IntroTech Inc., a privately held manufacturer of small, easy-to-use, chemical-based temperature sensors that provide reliable tracking of temperature fluctuations for goods in transit and storage. ShockWatch, a global leader in developing and manufacturing damage prevention products for a wide variety of industries, has successfully distributed the IntroTech monitors worldwide for more than 10 years as part of its line of Environmental Indicators. With the acquisition, ShockWatch will increase global marketing and distribution of the IntroTech products. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

"ShockWatch has extensive knowledge of our entire product line and has had great success selling them worldwide," said Laura Manske, president of IntroTech. "IntroTech will be in good hands. ShockWatch will provide the dedicated resources in engineering, manufacturing, and marketing that are needed to elevate global sales to the next level."

Founded in 1987 and headquartered outside St. Paul, Minn., IntroTech manufactures the WarmMark and ColdMark Environmental Indicator product lines, which track temperature fluctuations of temperature-sensitive goods during shipping and storage. The versatile devices provide accurate, irreversible proof of possible damage when thermal conditions fall outside an acceptable range. ColdMark Environmental Indicators self-activate by changing color when freezing conditions occur. Similarly, WarmMark Environmental Indicators turn red when temperatures rise above a predetermined threshold level. Many of these indicators also record the length of exposure. WarmMark indicators are available in nine threshold temperature levels, and ColdMark indicators are available in three.

IntroTechs Environmental Indicators have been used extensively as tools for effective supply chain management. Ideal for all temperature-sensitive goods, the devices reduce product damage and alleviate safety concerns regarding bacterial growth, infection, and contamination. Environmental Indicators are used successfully in a range of industries including pharmaceutical, food and beverages, chemical, cosmetic, electronic, and agricultural protecting shipments of everything from plasma and vaccines to adhesives and live plants or animals. Easy to install, these tamper-proof devices can be affixed to any shipment sent via air, truck, rail, sea, or intermodal transport chains.

"The acquisition of IntroTech reinforces our effort to strengthen ShockWatch as the innovative, global leader in damage prevention products," said Gerard Smith, CEO of MRI. "Adding IntroTechs products to the ShockWatch line of Shipping & Handling Monitors is the most recent development in our course of growth and expansion initiatives."

In December 2006, ShockWatch doubled its manufacturing floor space by moving into a new 30,000-square-foot facility in Graham, Texas. The company has also introduced several new products in the past six months, including the ShockWatch EquipManager, Mini-Clip, and MAG 2000 Impact Date/Timer.

About ShockWatch
ShockWatch has been specializing in damage prevention since 1976, offering Shipping & Handling Monitors and Equipment Monitors for use in thousands of applications in a wide variety of industries, including automotive, aerospace, defense, logistics, marine, utilities, medical, and manufacturing. ShockWatch products are used to monitor the handling of goods throughout the production and delivery process, and the operation, access, and usage of equipment with the goal of reducing costs by preventing damage. With representatives and distributors worldwide, ShockWatch has fortified its standing as a global leader with customers in 62 countries. MRI is the parent company of ShockWatch, The Damage Prevention Company, and Media Recovery. Based in
Dallas, Texas, MRI has developed an international customer base that includes two-thirds of the Fortune 100 and over half of the Fortune 1000 companies. For more information, visit http://www.shockwatch.com/.

 

Follow