The managing directors of Mahr Group signed an agreement for the acquisition of Helios Messtechnik GmbH & Co. KG by the Mahr Group The new corporation, Mahr Helios will extend the Mahr Group's product portfolio in the field of shaft measurement. With the acquisition of Helios, the Mahr Group enhances its existing product range in horizontal length measurement with the brands SIP and Helios, as well as in the field of optical and tactile shaft measurement with the brands Helio-Pan and Helio-Scope. Mahr's management executives expect further synergies and a positive impact for the new corporation, Mahr Helios Messtechnik GmbH & Co. KG, in strengthened sales performance and extended research and development. A first combined exhibition is planned for Control 2006, the international trade fair for quality assurance in Sinsheim, Germany, at the beginning of May. With this acquisition, Mahr further strengthens its competitiveness as a complete supplier of dimensional metrology products and systems. Helios Messtechnik has a workforce of 75 employees and expects a turnover of about 10 million euros in 2006. The operating company is located in D?rzbach, in the north of Wuerttemberg, Germany, and offers expertise and many years of experience in the fields of optical (non-contact) and tactile (contact) shaft measurement, as well as in precision gages. For the Mahr Group, the acquisition of Helios provides an opportunity to extend its product range among new and existing customers in shaft measurement. Thus the Helios Messtechnik GmbH & Co. KG acquisition ideally complements Mahr GmbH Esslingen (precision gages) and the Mahr GmbH G?ttingen (precision length metrology and form and position tolerance testing). Thomas Keidel and Stephan Gais will act as managing directors of the newly formed company.