EVENDALE, OH-GE Aircraft Engines (GEAE) has acquired the Agfa-Gevaert Nondestructive Testing (Agfa NDT) business unit. Agfa NDT will be combined with GEAE's nondestructive testing business and be renamed GE Inspection Technologies. Jeff Nagel has been named president of the new company.

"GE Inspection Technologies combines the strength of Agfa's NDT products and support network with GE's leading-edge inspection technologies and manufacturing expertise," says Nagel. "The new business will offer solutions that improve the productivity of manufacturing and service operations of customers across a wide range of businesses."

Under terms of the agreement, GE Inspection Technologies will be the exclusive seller of Agfa NDT X-ray film. Agfa will retain its NDT X-ray film production.

With concerns from the European Commission over the acquisition, GE offered to divest its entire ultrasonic NDT business that operated as part of its subsidiary, Panametrics. R/D Tech Inc. (Quebec) has acquired the subsidiary. R/D Tech will continue to develop and promote the complete line of thickness gages and transducers, and sell them under the Panametrics brand. The complementary product portfolios and markets for both companies is the reason for the acquisition according to Alain Allard, CEO of R/D Tech.