Agilent acquires Keithley division in Santa Rosa

<p>Keithley Instruments, which develops wireless test equipment in Santa Rosa, announced a deal Thursday to sell the product line to Agilent Technologies for $9 million. </p><p>The deal includes Keithley’s radio frequency design center near Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, which has about two-dozen employees. </p><p>All workers at the design center have been offered jobs with Agilent’s Santa Rosa-based Electronic Measurement Group, said Agilent spokesman Jeff Weber. The Keithley location on Aviation Boulevard will become an Agilent facility next month.</p><p>“The team members based there will remain in that location,” Weber said. “This acquisition will allow us to expand our portfolio of product offerings.” </p><p>Keithley sold the product line to Agilent because it needs to focus on its core business, CEO Joseph Keithley said. </p><p>“We concluded that we could no longer continue to support our significant investment in RF measurement products,” he said. </p><p>Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Keithley saw its global sales drop 33 percent over the past year. The company cut its workforce by 20 percent last year as the economic downturn hurt the electronics industry. </p><p>“The impact of the economic downturn changed the expected timing of the returns we were anticipating from our RF product line,” he said. </p><p>Keithley opened the Santa Rosa design center in 2003. Many of the employees there were former Agilent engineers who left the company in a series of downsizings that began in 2001. </p><p>Keithley’s radio frequency instruments are used to test cell phones and other wireless devices. Keithley competes with Agilent, the world’s largest maker of electronic test-and-measurement gear. </p><p>“Agilent is the leader in test and measurement, and we have a strong and unique position in radio frequency products,” Weber said. </p><p>Under terms of the agreement, Agilent will assume certain liabilities and provide continuing service and support for Keithley’s RF products. </p><p>Keithley posted sales of $103 million for the year ending Sept. 30, down from $153 million in 2008. It has about 600 employees worldwide.</p>