A leading European manufacturer of laboratory sterilisers and thermal equipment, Manchester-based LTE Scientific has acquired the business of Autoclave Control and Engineering Ltd (ACE) - creating a unique British-owned autoclave company.

Located near Corby, ACE is a highly regarded and fast growing manufacturer of large capacity steam sterilisers. With chamber sizes in the 300 to 6,500 litre (10 to 230 cu ft) range, these are installed primarily in the pharmaceutical, research and life sciences industries, and in hospitals. The company's particular specialities are the design of porous load, production, GMP and high security machines.

ACE sterilisers are fully compliant with EN46001 and the National Health Service HTM 2010 standard, and their Touchclave control system has been certified under FDA regulations for GMP applications. ACE has a substantial autoclave maintenance business, servicing all makes of steam sterilisers, and also offers many ancillary products such as clean and pure steam generators.

LTE managing director John Lees commented: "The acquisition of ACE represents a major milestone in LTE's strategy to become an important player in the worldwide autoclave market. The breadth of our product range is unique amongst British manufacturers, ranging from small benchtop models to large central sterilisation units. The combination of ACE's specialist technology with LTE's experience in world markets will create exciting growth opportunities for both businesses."