Company News

The Horiba Group of companies announced that it has created HORIBA Scientific, a new global team designed to serve customers.

HORIBA Scientific offerings encompass elemental analysis, fluorescence, forensics, ICP, particle characterization, Raman, spectral ellipsometry, sulfur-in-oil, water quality, and XRF. Prominent absorbed brands include Jobin Yvon, IBH, SPEX, Instruments S.A, ISA, Dilor, Sofie, SLM, and Beta Scientific. Combining the strengths of the research, development, applications, sales, service, and support organizations of its constituent companies, HORIBA Scientific will be able to supply researchers with better service. HORIBA Scientific has offices in 22 countries and maintains an extended network of distributors covering all others. Worldwide manufacturing sites and multiple sales, service, and applications offices will better serve all markets. HORIBA is a global manufacturer of measurement and analytical devices, supplying an array of products in key markets, including automotive, biotechnology, environmental and utilities, medical, semiconductor, metallurgy, energy, pharmaceutical, and food science. HORIBA comprises 43 companies and nearly 5,000 employees. With the creation of HORIBA Scientific, the company hopes to meet the changing product and support needs of the market.

Research

The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (Nairobi, Kenya) will develop soil maps describing the soil in 42 nations in sub-Saharan Africa in an effort to provide information to farmers that will help them decide what to plant and how to care for their land. The maps will be available on the Internet. The Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute in Nairobi will manage the project.

Researchers from the African Soil Information Service will use satellite technology to image different areas, showing the nutrients, moisture content, and organic content of the soil samples. They will also use infrared spectroscopy to study the chemical and physical properties of the soil samples. This method can quickly judge the soil's ability to hold water and to absorb nutrients. With this information available to them, farmers will be able to improve the fertility of their soil and increase agricultural production throughout the continent, which will help feed the growing populations in this region.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa have provided the funding for this project.