Specialty Computer Maker Dynatem Sold

A deal several months in the making, Italy-based Eurotech has announced it will own Mission Viejo's Dynatem for $1.9 million starting June 1.

Dynatem makes fast, sturdy computers, President Mike Horan said. Many of them are bought by major U.S. defense contractors like Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.

The computers have to withstand high altitudes, drastic temperature changes and rough conditions, Horan said. They're also used in RADAR systems, he said.

And since they're top-secret, even Dynatem employees have a hard time finding out how their computers are used, Horan said.

The purchase will bring some advantages to Dynatem, the president said.

"Being a small company, our resources were limited," he said.

Being part of a bigger company will mean access to tools, engineering and designs unavailable before, he said.

"We can also tap into the huge sales channel Eurotech has worldwide," Horan said. "It could be a real symbiotic relationship because they're developing technology similar to ours."

The company of about 20 employees, mostly engineers, will keep its staff following the sale, the president said.

Dynatem was founded in 1981 by Belgian engineer Yruri Deswert. The company has a long history of business-to-business sales to large defense contractors.

Horan led the company "about 10 years ago" after joining Dynatem in 1983, he said.