Canberra Industries was founded in 1965 by Emery Olcott and Chuck Greer. I joined the company in 1967 and have spent almost 50 years working there, the last 10+ years on a part time basis. Approaching the 50th anniversary of the founding of Canberra in 2015, I volunteered to write a brief history of the company in commemoration of the event. By mid-year 2015, I realized that this project could not be completed in time for the celebration which was to take place in September, so I resorted to the compilation of key events (highlights) for each of the 50 years. To add context for readers who did not experience this period of the company’s existence, I sorted through the top 100 song titles for each year trying to find ones that seemed to fit the situation and/or mood of the company. Many of the 5000 titles that I reviewed in this search are good matches but I cannot vouch for the lyrics. I have been told that some are offensive.
During the past year I have worked on the narrative history of the company. I confess that it is uneven because I spent most of my career there in the detector business and this is what I know best. I have sought help from other employees and former employees to flesh out the history of other product lines. These individuals are credited as contributors on the chapters they helped write.
Over time Canberra acquired several companies in the nuclear instruments field each having a history of its own. I solicited help from people involved with these companies in providing a pre-acquisition history of many of them. Those helping with this are credited on those chapters as well.
This is a history of the Canberra instruments business. Although the Canberra Clinical Laboratory business was a big factor in our early history it is not part of this story. Neither is Packard Instruments or Packard Bioscience which transformed the company in later years.
It has not been easy to identify highlights with specific years so there may be errors in these assignments. No doubt there are many deserving events that have not been recorded in this work simply because memory is limited and imperfect. More importantly there are literally hundreds and hundreds of current and former Canberra employees whose efforts contributed significantly to the success of the company. I regret that it is impossible to identify all of them and to credit them with their contributions. Special thanks to Roger Conway who helped organize the material and created the website for it.
Finally, as this work is published on line, there is an opportunity for feedback including corrections, additions, and complaints from knowledgeable readers. I welcome this and will endeavor to update the material as time and faculties permit. If you would like to be heard in this regard please contact me at this website.
Thank You,
Orren
Emery Olcott and Chuck Greer bought Sturrup Nuclear (Sturrup, Larrabee, and Warmers) for $35000. It was later observed that they had probably overpaid.
Emery and Chuck got together with their investment partners to rename the company. To keep their diversification opportunities open, they wanted to avoid strictly technical names which might not serve them through diversification into disparate businesses, should that occur. Eventually they got around to place names and then to world capitals. The choice came down to Canberra Industries or Pretoria Industries and they chose the former. In retrospect we can agree that this early decision was a good one!
Inherited Henry Webb, a technician who became a brilliant designer
Peddled Sturrup (going obsolete) inventory
Began design of new modules under the NIM Standard
Introduced a number of NIMs including the 1410 to compete with ORTEC’s 410
First series of NIM SCAs was flawed and had to be redesigned
Hired Les Daniels, Engineer #2
Hired several MBA Graduates (Whiz Kids) for Division Manager Program
Orren Tench joined as Engineering Manager (April Fools Day!)
Introduced the 800 Series Educational NIMs
Technical Directors hired for key divisions
Hans Fiedler -Technical Director of The Detector Division
Les Hammer - Technical Director of Medical Systems Division
Gerry Matthews - Technical Director of Data Systems Division
Division General Managers appointed
Sam Knoll - GM of Medical Systems
Rick Pederson - GM of Data Systems
Orren Tench - GM of the Detector Division
Canberra Clinical Laboratory began with Dave Smith as GM and Hervey Weitzman as Technical Director
Ford Motor Company invested $1M in preferred stock following purchase of a CANBERRA Data System by The Ford Motor Company Research Center. At that time Ford was actively looking for investment opportunities in small innovative companies, and Canberra, because of the DataNIM sale to Ford Research, came to the attention of the person who had responsibility for identifying and evaluating opportunities. He eventually made his way to Meriden and came back after persuading Ford to invest in Canberra “Preferred” stock, which didn’t exist, of course, but was created solely for Ford. This preferred stock sale gave Canberra a shot of much needed cash at a good time. The stock was retired under very favorable terms a few years later. So if DataNIM never became a highly profitable product line it did make a significant contribution after all!
Ford doubled down with another $1M
Moved to Dominel Press building, where they printed comic books, on Gracey Ave. (on Lake Gracey) in Meriden
Bought Geoscience MCA product line and got the services of Harvey Roberts and his team of former TMC engineers. The rest is history and Harvey will forever be known as “The Father of the Canberra MCA”
Started Computer Peripherals product line (2020 Triple Cassette Recorder) with Les Daniels and Steve Johnson
Chuck Greer’s (back of the envelope) calculations show that 37 cents of cash is needed for each dollar of increased sales
Divisions (except Detectors) are bleeding cash and the company is going more deeply into debt despite Ford infusion.
Hartford National Bank cancelled credit line, saw the handwriting on the wall?
The Board of Directors dismissed Chuck Greer (officially he resigned)
The Board appointed Emery Olcott President and put him on a short leash
Emery re-organized the company and consolidated divisions into base business
Introduced the Model 8100 MCA, the first in a long series of hardwired MCAs designed by Harvey Roberts and his team
The 8100 Quanta (PDP-11 based) was introduced with CLASS operating system
Sold 45 Gracey Building and leased it back from George Philip (Board Chairman)
Made agreement to buy out Ford Motor Company holdings under favorable terms
Sales up 40%, Net income up 135%
Nuclear Power cited as big growth opportunity
Ben Campagnuolo named Export Sales Manager
John McKinney, who was Southeastern US Sales Engineer, named Domestic Sales Manager
Dave Hall arrived from Norden as 2nd Analog Engineer, stayed 42 years!
Year of recovery under Emery Olcott
Sales up about 10%
Net Income $200k vs. loss of $700k in 1971
Established Joint Ventures (Sales Subsidiaries) in Europe including Canberra GmbH in Germany, stealing Rolf Schwall and Norbert Gnieser from ORTEC
The Canberra Clinical Laboratory began buying up smaller labs on the way to becoming the largest clinical laboratory in Connecticut
Dick McKernan named Engineering Manager
Steve Johnson named Marketing Manager
Sam Knoll named Treasurer heading up Administration and Finance
Sales increased by 52%, to almost $10M
Net Income flat
Mike Charland (Norden) joined Canberra as digital design expert. Designed Canberra’s first successive approximation ADC, the 8080, and lots of other stuff. Became VP of Engineering during illustrious career.
Sales increased by 31% to almost $13M
Net Income rose by 63%
Established Employee Stock Option Trust (ESOT) and contributed $25,000 to purchase Canberra shares.
Introduced The Omega-One and the 8180 (the first with microprocessor) MCAs
Hired Hooks Johnston (from Pratt and Whitney) as VP of Engineering
Dick McKernan became VP of Marketing
Introduced the Segmented Gamma Scanner (SGS), on a tech transfer from Los Alamos, the first of many Applied Systems that followed
Sales increased by 20% to $15M
Net Income up by 21% to $1.6M
Established Personnel Department
Established Quality Assurance Department
Contributed $50,000 to ESOT
Added 30,000 sq. ft. of space and renovated another 40,000 sq. ft. on Gracey Avenue
Introduced “Pure” Ge Detectors (quite prematurely as we couldn’t make them)
Sales increased to $21M, net income up slightly
Introduced the “Century” 2000 Series of NIMS, only 23 years early!
Introduced Scorpio, a system with ADC(s) interfaced to a PDP-11 with direct memory access (DMA).
Introduced our first Alpha-Beta Counter, the manual System 2200
Mike Yocum joined the company, developed HPGe detector technology, and much, much more since
George Serrano joined Canberra as Manager of Personnel
Sales increased to almost $24M, thanks in part to the Three Mile Island Accident
Net income down to $710k
Established Nuclear Systems Division focusing on the Nuclear Power Market headed by Dick McKernan
Hooks Johnston became GM of Instruments Division
Glenn Waehner (from Norden) became VP of Engineering
Introduced the Series 30 and the Series 80 MCAs
Introduced more than 12 new NIMS including timing modules
Introduced Jupiter, an S-80 MCA interfaced to a PDP-11 minicomputer
Net Income doubled to almost $1.5M
Increased ESOT Contribution to $125,000
China sales grow substantially, leading to extended visits by Ed Fisher, Les Daniels, and Steve Hanchryk
Sam Knoll leaves Canberra and moves to Virginia Beach, forges new career in the supplements business
Three-Mile Island nuclear accident leads to a flurry of activity in the nuclear power market
Sales reached $33M, up 10%
Net income totaled $1.7M
Contribution to ESOT increased to $145k
Bob Kane, formerly from Hewlett Packard, joined Canberra as VP Finance
Ben Compo established joint venture with the Chinese government for distribution and service, a doomed partnership of un-equals!
Introduced the Series 40 MCA and the S-40 Jupiter System
Acquired Berkeley Germanium, an HPGe crystal grower in Novato CA, a spin-off from LBNL with Georg Mraz and Scott Hubbard. Re-named it Canberra Semiconductor, Inc.
Mike Catalano joins Canberra from Yale, designs new Mixer-Routers enroute to a highly varied career at Canberra and in various roles at Packard.
Introduced 7404 Quad Alpha Spectrometer, with advanced features
Sales almost flat due to worldwide recession? Europe down appreciably
Net Income flat
Glenn Waehner became GM of Instruments replacing Hooks Johnston
Les Daniels named VP of Manufacturing
Money poured into Canberra Semiconductor nee Berkeley Germanium with scant results
Nuclear Power Division on a roll
Established Canberra Detectors, N.V., a joint venture in Belgium with partners Walter Schoenmaekers (a crystal grower from MHO) and Theo Bijvoets (Harshaw Holland) to make Ge detectors for the European market. Walter’s advice to us on Canberra Semiconductor, “Start over!”
ESOT contribution increased to $150, 000
New fiscal year, forget 1981
More money poured into Canberra Semiconductor, which grows a lot of bad germanium.
Began renovation of the Meriden Hub, as headquarters. Another money pit it turns out
Agreed to buy Radiation Management Corporation from a syndicate of 6 utilities, gaining services of one Frazier Bronson. Who knew what impact he would have on the business?
72 nuclear power plants in operation and 58 more in construction or planned. What could be more promising?
Sales increased by about $1M, but net income dropped by 70% (from pro forma 1981 year)
Split Canberra-Positronika leaving Klaus Stock (the founder) with Positronika (booming PC applications business) and giving Danny Meert responsibility for Instruments in Canberra Benelux. It is believed that Danny never lost an order thereafter!
The last Canberra Ge(Li) Detector came out of drift
Sales increased by 20% to $44M
Net Income increased 150% to $2.5M
Canberra Semiconductor still struggling to make quality crystals
Moved to Hub Building in downtown Meriden, with a river running beneath it!
Re-purposed the Series 90 MCA as a Supervisory Controller for the Measurement and Control (automation) market with funding from the Connecticut Product development Commission. Named the product line Industrial Measurement and Control System (IMACS). Gene Sengstock put in charge.
Bud Sielaff, who had actual experience in control systems, joined the IMACS team.
ESOT contribution is $255k, a record
Nuclear Power Division going big with huge new data-base software packages for Offsite Dose Assessment (MIDAS) and HP Record Keeping (SIMON)
Sales nudged up to $46M
Net income plunged to $1.4M
Nuclear Power Market slumped. Utilities didn’t want expensive database systems after all
Sales, Marketing, and Engineering consolidated under Nuclear Products Group headed by Dick McKernan
Gary Laskowski heads marketing for Nuclear Power and Pete DeVecchis heads Domestic Sales for Nuclear Products
China market grows and is supported by long visits Ed Fisher and even longer stays by Steve Hanchryk.
Detector Products Division gained on all fronts except for Canberra Semiconductor (crystal growing)
Jerry Grader convinced Canberra management that it didn’t know how to handle IMACS and joined the company to manage this product line.
President Reagan recognized Canberra with the “Excellence in Exports” Award with Ben and Emery in the White House Rose Garden
Sales increased to almost $53M
Net income fell to $1.1M, and operating income from continuing operations fell by 68%.
“Black Friday” ensued with large scale layoffs
Shut down Canberra Semiconductor in California (crystal growing operation)
Established Canberra Semiconductor (CSNV) in a tax-free zone in Belgium and merged CDNV into it. Gained tax-free status for 10 years.
Hired Paul Burger (from Enertec later Eurisys Mesures) to develop silicon (PIPS) detectors at CSNV. We recognize Paul as “The Father of the PIPS Detector”, but not the father of the PIPS. You would have to ask Gladys Knight about that.
FBI raided Canberra because Canberra equipment, diverted from Germany it turns out, was spotted in Pakistan by Wolfgang Maier, who was working for ND at that time. Long investigation absolved Canberra of wrongdoing. Reagan did not ride to the rescue!
Sold the Clinical Laboratory Business, providing much needed cash
Bought Packard Instruments from United Technologies, probably the most important event in the history of the company, certainly the most important acquisition
Named Dick McKernan President of Packard and sent him back to Chicago where he started his career with Canberra
Sales from continuing operations (minus lab) totaled $42M, up from 1985
Operating income went positive to $250k
Net income was $7M+ thanks to Clinical Laboratory sale
April Chernobyl nuclear accident gave a boost to Instrument and Systems sales and set the stage for an expanded market in environmental monitoring
Merged Canberra and Packard sales operations in Europe and elsewhere
Sold RMC EMAP (Emergency Medical Assistance Program) business to Dr. Roger Linnemann, the founder of RMC
Sales reached $97M with both Packard and Canberra up by 20%+
Net income reached $7M, matching 1986 (sale of Clinical Laboratory)
Introduced System 100, our first PC Based MCA
Jerry Grader named VP and GM of Nuclear Products who appointed his team of “Three Mikes”: Charland, Catalano, and Zebarth
Sales increased to $115M, up 18%
Net income reached $10M, up 50%+
Introduced Accuscan II, a Whole Body Scanner with Ge Detectors
Bought Radiomatic, adding “Flow” detectors to Packard product line
Record year for Detector Products Group
Acquired Nuclear Data with its great team of engineers and sales people
Detector Products, in collaboration with Larry Darken of Tennelec, produced “Big Boy”, the world’s first Ge detector having >100% Relative Efficiency, much to the chagrin of ORTEC, who had this all figured out until, SURPRISE!
Sales increased to ~$127M, Net income up slightly
Divested the RMC Environmental Services Division, which among other activities, trucked fish annually past a dam in Pennsylvania in spawning season, saving their customer the cost of a fish ladder
Changed Fiscal Year (again !)
Net sales increased to ~$146M, Net income about $8.6M
Bought Jomar (Jones and Martin) Systems, a LANL spinoff for their neutron (safeguards) expertise, and got Dorothy Davidson in the bargain
Introduced the Ultra-LEGe Detector, disproving the prevailing theory that germanium detectors are intrinsically flawed for energies below 3 keV.
Consolidation of Nuclear Data operations within Canberra. This was an amazing combination of former arch enemies (especially in the sales teams) – joining the same side for the same objectives. Eventually Cameron Seely and Jim Barstow became Eastern and Western US Sales Managers respectively
Secured CRADA from LANL for the Alpha-Sentry continuous air monitor
ND acquisition pays off big- Nuclear Instruments revenue and profit up 50% on the year
Sales increased to $115M, up 18%Net sales increased again to .$151M, Net income at $10M
Merged Jomar into new Applied Systems Division in Meriden
Introduced Genie PC (under IBM’s OS/2 doomed operating system) a derivative of Genie, the popular ND Analysis Software Package. Sales take off – despite choosing the “wrong” operating system.
Introduced the ICB NIM, computer controlled signal processing modules
The River Ran Through It, headquarters went under water on June 5
Shipments (of slightly damp) instruments began about a week later after massive clean-up effort
Bought the Research Parkway facility and began move from the Hub. Convinced the town to officially designate our address as “Research Parkway” instead of “Pondview drive” – because talk of “ponds” tended to upset us.
Sales reached $163M, thanks to Packard which was largely unaffected as their manufacturing facility was in Downers Grove
Net Income matched 1991, even including $6M of flood related expense
Jim Colaresi, who started working at Canberra when he was about 16 years old, named Product Manager, Detector Products Division
Lingolsheim develops encapsulation technology and exploits segmentation technology
Net sales dropped slightly to $159M
Net income increased to almost $11M, thanks recovery of flood-related expense
George Serrano named President of Canberra Nuclear following Gerry Grader’s retirement
Growth in both passive and active (Shuffler) neutron assay systems
Opportunities for large waste assay systems in the UK, in France and at the IAEA
Mobile Laboratories and Mobile Whole Body Counters deployed
Cameron Seely named National Sales Manager
Danny Meert takes responsibility for Nuclear sales in Europe
Ben Campagnuolo focused on Russia and Eastern Europe with great success, teaching Oleg Toritzin to swear in several languages
Decline in traditional business
Increased activity in waste characterization, decontamination, and safeguards
Teamed with Scientific Ecology Group, Lockheed Martin, and Advanced Systems Technology to serve these applications
Net Sales up to $166M, net income up slightly
Emery lost the mustache, leaving Orren as the lone hirsute old-timer
Sales up 3% to $172M
Net income reaches $14.5M a new record
Great year for Detector Products, Applied Systems and Customer Service despite slight decline in total nuclear instruments business
Introduced the Alpha Analyst and the Gamma Analyst, under the “Proline” banner coined by Mike Zebarth
Oxford (Tennelec) replaced Umicore as primary Ge Crystal supplier
Canberra website launched, www.canberra.com generating much internet traffic from prospective tourists to Australia
Loches introduces Radiagem survey meters
Introduced the Inspector (Portable MCA)
Introduced first Digital Signal Processors replacing traditional Amplifier-ADC combinations
Introduced U-Pu Inspector with internally shielded LEGe Detector element
Introduced In-Situ Object Calibration System (ISOCS), with mathematical calibration software as envisioned by Frazier Bronson, and written by Russian scientists
Introduced several neutron systems
Switcheroo: Packard Instruments, re-badged as Packard Bioscience goes on top
Leveraged Recap under Stonington Partners
Ben Kaplan, who knows where all the bodies are buried, becomes CFO
Genie 2000 (under Windows) replaces Genie PC. Microsoft wins again!
Bought Aquila Technologies for their safeguards and surveillance technologies
Acquired Harwell Instruments, which dates back to 1946-47, for their NDA technologies and UK market
Shelia Webb (Southern Comfort), a specialist in Alpha Spectroscopy, joins Canberra and becomes a rabid UConn Husky fan
DSA-2000, all-in-one DSP Based MCA, introduced
Acquired the Nuclear Instruments (Tennelec) Business from Oxford Instruments giving us a captive supply of HPGe material from Larry Darken’s great team.
Got back into the Alpha-Beta business with the Tennelec LB product line that, years earlier, had our lunch
Introduced The Broad Energy Ge (BEGe) Detector nee (for a few days) the WEGe. Guess why we changed that name!
Y2k issues dominate marketplace, detector sales (bereft of software) plummet.
Introduces LabSOCS, another name only a mother could love, for sample measurements
The new Millennium arrives without software Armageddon.
Packard Bioscience IPO, April 20. Opens at $9 and trades as high as $25 in 3 months
Introduced the InSpector 2000, a DSP based version of the popular Inspector MCA
Harwell Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Tritium Monitors added to product line
Alpha-Beta Line expanded with Series 5 and Solo
Bought new facility for Tennelec and moved crystal growing operation, with no interruption in supply, a miracle according to many!
Introduced iCAM from Harwell
Canberra sold to Cogema, part of AREVA, for $170M+
Lingolsheim and Loches become part of Canberra Nuclear Instruments Business
Christian Petit named CEO of Canberra
Philippe Hatron named CFO
George Serrano forsakes “Lake George” on Pondview Drive for retirement on Lake Winnipesaukee
Marc LeFevre heads up European Operations
AREVA buys balance of Aptec-NRC from Ed Zieba and folds it into the Canberra organization
September 11 attacks wake up an otherwise slow homeland security / emergency response market.
AREVA elects to keep the Canberra name – strongest brand in the industry – and avoids a substantial write-down of good will
Lingolsheim focused on Specialty Detectors, goes head-to-head with ORTEC and wins - mostly
Olen assumes responsibility for Silicon Detectors
Rationalization of contamination monitors begins (Aptec and Loches)
Canberra Japan kk, established with Sho Watanabe (from Seiko-EG&G). Great expectations for Japanese NP market in which Canberra has almost no presence
Lingolsheim introduces monolithic Ge X-Ray Array Detectors
Expensive consultants conclude that Canberra should focus on Radiation Monitoring Systems (NRC Business)
Radiation Monitoring Systems moved to Meriden, Dr. Pandey heading the business
GRETA and AGATA (Gamma ray tracking) projects launched in the US and Europe respectively
Inspector 1000 Introduced, aimed at homeland security market
Decision made to exit Radiation Monitoring Systems business. Go Figure!
Christian Petit joins AREVA in France
Patrick Berthier named CEO, reporting to Daniele Herzog
iSOLO portable alpha-beta counter introduced
X-PIPS Detector introduced with much help from consultant Valentin Jordanov
Frederick Von Heems replaces Patrick Berthier as CEO
Portal Monitors (Homeland Security) become focus of activity
Argos 3/5 Contamination Monitors come out of Canberra Canada
Canberra Smart Probe (CSP) concept introduced
Created “matrix” organization for most all of Canberra, eliminating “those silos”
Orren Tench, now silo-less, put out to pasture, agrees to part-time job
Awarded contract to develop Germanium-based Portal Monitor for DHS
Introduced the Cryocycle (hybrid) cryostat from Meriden. It was briefly called the Ever-Ready but a certain battery company objected rather strenuously.
Introduced the Cryopulse (pulse tube) cryostat from Lingolsheim
Apex-Alpha Alpha Spectroscopy suite introduced
i-Matic Alpha Beta (with PIPS Detectors) introduced
Canberra Portal appears to work in the fly-off at the Nevada Test Site
Contract issued for quantities of Canberra portals, largest contract in Canberra history
Von Heems is way out in front on the portal opportunity
Frantic effort to secure increased supply of HPGe crystals for all those portals
Chose SAP (certainly not ASAP) to provide ERP System, with predictable results
Lynx, a new generation MCA product introduced
Falcon 5000 Launched (with a lot of muscle!)
Upon further review, Canberra portals deemed not sensitive enough
Production put on hold and contract cancelled, leaving a large number of Ge detectors and other hardware available for scavengers
Frederick Van Heems leaves Canberra, with portal project in shreds. Go figure!
Cronos 4/11 introduced
AREVA executive, Ahmed Bennour runs Canberra on interim basis
Yves Baumgartner named CEO of Canberra
Jean-Paul Goslin named CFO
Apex Alpha-Beta introduced
Argos PB Contamination Monitor (with plastic detectors) introduced
Right above a ruptured water main that is. Water, water, everywhere again!
With new CEO, a new organization naturally
Spot SEGe gets new interest, dubbed the SAGe Detector
Osprey (digital tube-base MCA) introduced
Sirius 5 launched
Tsunami hits Japan and brings disaster to the Fukushima nuclear reactor complex
A surge in business comes to Canberra, with Frazier Bronson leading the charge
Orders from Japan increase ten-fold
Between Fukushima and cheap natural gas, prospects for new nuclear go dim
Introduction of SafePoint Radiation Monitoring System. We’re Baaak!
LB4200 launched
Argos PAB and PBG models launched
IR7040 Ratemeter Launched
EcoGamma, novel radiation monitor introduced
Canberra financial results reach new highs
Cash strapped AREVA decides to divest some assets, including Canberra. Timing is good with Canberra skiing off the Fukushima bubble.
Astorg Partners becomes sole bidder for Canberra and gets its “nose way into the tent”
Horizon introduced
Prospect launched
CP-5 Plus
Cryo-Cycle II
VLD Probe and Colibri-VLD
AccuRate Anthropomorphic Correction Option for Argos™ Contamination Monitors
Astorg gets deeply in the numbers and into the management team
Sale of Canberra to Astorg Partners stops apart hours before scheduled closing. Top management change ensues. Any wonder?
Paul Myers and J.B. Koehl assigned to Canberra to re-stabilize the company and set a new course
Cronos-1 Gamma Object/Tool Monitor introduced
SAGe Well Detector introduced with dramatic improvement in performance over conventional well detectors
Stabilized 3x5x16 detector launched
DSA-LX launched
Nuclear Science Experiments with Digital Electronics Laboratory Manual launched
J.B. Koehl appointed CEO of Canberra
Reorganization into three business groups ensues, Standard Products, Specialty Products, and Services
RGU-100 Military Pocket Radiac introduced
Launch of WebRemote Contamination Monitor Software
Horizon 2.0 with Contamination Monitor support
The “Nuclear Renaissance” is long over, especially for Areva which faces break-up
Canberra again put up for sale
iCAM/HD introduced
iPIX, newest version of coded aperture imaging device introduced
Canberra celebrates 50th Anniversary with co-founder Emery Olcott as the keynote speaker
To begin the second half-century of Canberra Industries, in mid-year 2016 the company was sold to Mirion Technologies which is owned by Charterhouse Capital Partners, a British firm. Who knows what the future will bring? No doubt it will mean many changes in a hurry because financial investors are not usually willing to wait out decades for a return on their investments. It will be interesting!
On June 30, 2015, the day before the sale of Canberra to Mirion Technologies took effect, the old Canberra flag (predating Areva) was flown one last time at the Meriden headquarters building. This came about thanks to Mike Simone and Bud Sielaff.
Later through the efforts of many, including Karen Pietruszka and Mike Catalano, dozens of current and former employees signed the flag as a presentation piece for Emery Olcott. A booklet was also created in which many of the same people wrote notes to Emery expressing their appreciation for his guidance of Canberra over his long career there.
On March 24, 2017, an ad hoc committee of current and former employees presented the flag and the booklet to Emery at his winter home in Key Largo, Florida. The photograph below was taken on that occasion. In the interest of transparency, I must say that some golf took place there that weekend.