Teknopower Group, the owner of Ex-light manufacturer Mica Elektro, has now acquired Finnish company Centaurea Oy, a well-known specialist in portable Ex-protected lighting. Teknopower said that the change in ownership “will strengthen the position of both companies in the specialised lighting solutions market”, including the mining industry, and will enable and drive co-operation between them. The acquisition is part of the Teknopower Group’s growth strategy, and “it will strengthen the groups’s position in the field of demanding lighting systems”, said the statement. The move is also expected to strengthn Centaurea’s presence internationally by increasing its sales significantly.

Cited advantages for Centaurea’s mining customers include a wider product portfolio to match customer requirements; diversified support through a larger sales and support organisation; and the possibility to offer larger tailored systems for customer needs, with the established customer-oriented service continuing. “There are many similarities in the philosophies of Centaurea and Mica Elektro, and we will achieve higher innovativeness by acquiring them” says Nina Arvonen, Managing Director of Teknopower Group. Centaurea Managing Director Johannes Leppihalme commented “Centaurea has grown for more than two decades by increasing the safety of professional workers with the most reliable world-class special lighting systems. We will continue this growth by offering our customers an even wider selection of lighting solutions for customer needs.”

The wide selection of rechargeable flashlights from Mica includes ATEX / EX / IECEx -approved (Intrinsically Safe) models for hazardous areas. The company also supplies a range of helmet and cap lamps for mines. Centaurea is a leader in portable lighting  solutions for demanding conditions in the chemical, heavy industry, mining and other applications. Solutions include the CentaurSlam Hornet range of portable ATEX work lights.