Jefferson County officials are concerned that the county might lose a corporate headquarters pending a merger deal involving Golden-based Pentax Imaging Co.
Preston Gibson, president and chief executive for the Jefferson Economic Council, said he is trying to contact Pentax to help keep the company here. It employs about 80 people in Golden.
“We would be very concerned about losing this company to another location,” he said. “We don’t have dozens of international companies, so whenever one leaves, it hurts our ability to (attract) other international companies.”
Hoya Corp., a Tokyo-based optical company, agreed last month to merge with Pentax Corp. in a stock swap estimated at $771 million. Pentax Corp., also based in Toyko, is the parent company of Pentax Imaging Co.
A joint press release issued by both companies states that Pentax’s imaging-systems division will continue but did not provide details.
Pentax officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Gibson said Pentax is eligible for various incentives going forward, including tax credits for adding business personal property.
Pentax Imaging moved to Golden in 2003 after consolidating its offices in Broomfield and the Denver Tech Center. Jefferson County officials lauded the move because Pentax added to the county’s list of companies with global reach, such as Lockheed Martin and Gambro Inc., a maker of medical devices.
Under terms of the merger, Pentax shareholders will receive 0.158 shares of Hoya stock for each Pentax share. The deal is subject to approval by shareholders of both companies and is expected to close in October.
Pentax, a leader in film cameras for amateur and professional photographers for more than 40 years, has suffered recently as digital cameras have taken over the industry. The company introduced its first digital camera in 2003.
Staff writer Kimberly S. Johnson can be reached at 303-954-1088 or kjohnson@denverpost.com.
