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Richard Grant, who heads up scientific instrument and automation systems developer Invetech in Mira Mesa, has good reason to remain optimistic about its future.
Since the Melbourne, Australia-based business opened up its local facility in November 2007 to be closer to existing life sciences clients, it has seen an "increase in sales activity (nationwide), not withstanding the economic climate," said Grant, Invetech's vice president and operations manager.
Grant did not provide exact sales figures, but said that the manufacturer's historic growth of 17 percent annually has been driven in large part by the trend of outsourcing engineering services, which is Invetech's specialty.
"Given the current climate we would be planning on at least 10 percent growth and maybe more if the economy picks up," he said.
Part of the publicly traded Washing-ton, D.C.-based manufacturing giant Danaher, which acquired Invetech in January 2007 and then integrated it into its Leica Microsystems division, Invetech is backed by a billion-dollar business.
In San Diego, Invetech's 12 engineers and four business development and sales staff offer services to U.S.-based clients, supported by 180 workers at its headquarters.
"The clients come to...