SAN RAFAEL -- Cal-Bay Systems, a 23-year-old developer of test, measurement and monitoring tools for high-technology equipment used in medicine, aerospace and the military, on Monday said it has been acquired by a similar but much larger Montreal-based company that had been looking for certain expertise and a West Coast foothold.
Averna, which makes testing systems for communications and electronics companies worldwide, acquired all of Cal-Bay for an undisclosed amount. Averna will run the San Rafael and European offices, and Cal-Bay owners Buck Smith and Patrick Kelly will "participate in the day-to-day operations and expansion plans."
All 25 Cal-Bay employees in the 5,500-square-foot San Rafael facility on Kerner Boulevard will become Averna employees.
Cal-Bay "is very synergistic with our portfolio of test engineering services and expertise, and constitutes another building block of our growth plan," said Averna President and CEO Andre Gareau in a statement.
Averna, which was started in 1999 and has roughly 300 employees working from four locations worldwide, wanted a stronger presence in medical-device, vibration monitoring and consumer electronics industries, the company said.
Cal-Bay's location also puts Averna closer to existing and prospective customers, according to a spokeswoman.
Started in 1992, Cal-Bay has developed a suite of test solutions adapted to a broad spectrum of applications in clean energy, consumer electronics, transportation, power generation and emerging markets.
Both Cal-Bay is a "platinum" partner in testing equipment maker National Instrument's alliance of technology suppliers. Averna also is part of that alliance and won a 2012 award from National Instrument for its achievements.
