Tekelec to Pay $3 Million for Hard Engineering

Tekelec, a Calabasas maker of telecommunications testing equipment, said it agreed to buy Hard Engineering for $3 million and the assumption of about $1 million of Hard’s debts.

Hard, based in Huntsville, Ala., produces testing equipment for the same industry. Hard’s revenue for its fiscal year ending Sunday is expected to total about $3.7 million, said Tekelec, which had revenue of $34 million in 1989.

The agreement also provides for additional payments to Hard--of up to $4 million over the next five years--based on Tekelec’s sales of products using Hard’s technology. When the deal is completed, Hard founders Doug Hard and Greg Tucker will join Tekelec.