Cooper Wiring Devices Extends Occupancy Sensors Offering With Purchase Of Novitas

Nov. 22, 2005
Cooper Industries, Houston, has acquired Novitas Inc., a Torrance, Calif.-based manufacturer of occupancy sensors, switch packs and accessories.

Cooper Industries, Houston, has acquired Novitas Inc., a Torrance, Calif.-based manufacturer of occupancy sensors, switch packs and accessories. The acquisition was completed Nov. 17.

Novitas’ product line includes passive infrared (PIR) and ultrasonic technology ceiling and wall box sensors. Novitas will become part of the Cooper Wiring Devices division of Cooper Industries.

The Novitas acquisition will expand Cooper Wiring Device’s occupancy sensor line. “It’s actually an extension of the line,” said Jim Knapik, Cooper Wiring Devices vice president of marketing. “We sell a few motion sensors or occupancy sensors. But it’s really on the residential end of the business; it doesn’t have any connection to Title 24 in California, which is important. So this is a real full-blown line extension for us.

Novitas’ products are considered to be among the highest quality and most technologically advanced products in the marketplace today,” said Jeff Roberts, Cooper Wiring Devices president. “With the market for energy management products poised for explosive growth over the next several years, we are very excited to add the Novitas name, product line and field sales expertise to our division.

Based in Peachtree City, Ga., Cooper Wiring Devices intends to keep the Novitas brand name and maintain its current sales structure. “The Novitas organization has regional sales managers and they use primarily sales rep agencies — many of them are lighting agents — that they sell the product through,” said Knapik. “We intend to keep it that way.

He said Novitas’ regional sales managers would be attending a sales conference with Cooper in two weeks. “It’s basically to understand how they run their business and how their people are structured. We’re not going to make any changes,” added Knapik.

In 1977, Novitas said it invented and produced the first sensor for lighting control. The company’s first customer was Bell Telephone. Today, it provides more than 2,000 commercial, institutional, and governmental organizations with its lighting controls.