Gypsum industry news

US: Colin Hanson, one of the founders of gypsum wallboard moisture measurement expert Sensortech Systems, retired from his position of president of the company on 14 May 2020. A native of Southport in the north west of England, Colin Hanson established Sensortech Systems in Oxnard, California, along with Logan Mosteller and Bob Blankenship, in 1983. He had previously worked for leading moisture measurement equipment manufacturers in the UK and US and in the oil exploration sector in the UK.

Hanson was the pioneering developer behind Sensortech’s resonant frequency (RF) radio approach to moisture measurement. This offered higher accuracy, and hence control, to wallboard manufacturers, as it was more directly dependent on moisture content than the established techniques based on power-loss measurements. The RF approach has since risen to become the dominant approach to wallboard moisture measurement worldwide.

The company’s first product based on the RF approach was the ST-1100 moisture sensor range, which was replaced by the ST-2200 in 1992 and, subsequently, the ST-3300 range in 2018. Sensortech also produces the Instantaneous Moisture Profiling System (IMPS), which analyses moisture across the full width of the board, and has an extensive offering of near infra-red sensors. It most recently developed the Kiln Jam Detector for use inside board dryers.

As Sensortech grew in the 1980s and 1990s, Hanson took over the shareholdings of the other two directors. He became sole owner of the company in 1996. He sold Sensortech Systems to KPM Analytics on 14 May 2019, remaining as president until his retirement a year later. He will remain on hand in an advisory capacity and will continue to offer his insights and expertise to the company, with a focus on the development of existing and new products.

Speaking upon the sale of Sensortech to KPM, Hanson said, “There is a depth of talent within Sensortech, supplemented by KPM, that will provide a seamless transition to a successful future. KPM is putting resources into growing Sensortech, which is fantastic. The company has a development queue representing years of research but there are opportunities to accelerate that with KPM.”

Ron Geis, KPM Analytics’ President, has taken over the role of president of Sensortech Systems.

US: KPM Analytics has acquired Sensortech Systems. The purchase builds KPM Analytics’ portfolio of near infrared (NIR) technology and adds radio frequency (RF) products. Sensortech Systems’ products are used by customers around the world for real-time moisture measurement in process control across a variety of industries, including gypsum wallboard production. No value for the transaction has been disclosed.

“Sensortech is a natural extension to KPM’s Operating Companies; AMS Alliance, Unity Scientific, CHOPIN Technologies, Sightline Process Control and particularly Process Sensors Corporation” said Chris McIntire, the chief executive officer (CEO) of KPM Analytics.

Colin Hanson, the CEO of Sensortech Systems will remain in post following the acquisition, as will the management team. The company was originally incorporated in 1983. It is based in Oxnard, California.