ORANGE, Calif. — Fieldpiece Instruments Inc., a manufacturer of HVACR tool and test instruments, has acquired its Australian master distributor, Fieldpiece Australia, based outside of Sydney. The acquisition establishes a direct corporate presence in Australia and a foundation for further expansion in the Asia-Pacific region, a press release from Fieldpiece said.

Steve and Vicki Hartelust have owned and operated Fieldpiece Australia since 2001 and have had tremendous success introducing, positioning, and growing the brand, the press release said. Their decision to retire and sell the distributorship aligned directly with Fieldpiece’s global growth initiatives. The Hartelusts will aid the transition over the coming months as Fieldpiece integrates the business and hires a local management team, the press release said.

“We are thankful to the Hartelusts for their dedication to the brand and the excellent job they have done building the market over the last 20-plus years,” said Jim Gregorec, vice president of business development and licensing for Fieldpiece. “We’re eager to build on what they started by installing a local team and further exploring APAC (Asia-Pacific) opportunities.”