FEI Company
(Nasdaq:FEIC) announced that Phenom-World, a majority-owned subsidiary of
NTS Group B.V. (NTS) of Eindhoven, The Netherlands, has acquired FEI's Phenom(TM)
product line. NTS has been FEI's manufacturing partner and was closely involved
with the development of the innovative desktop scanning electron microscope
before it was introduced in 2007. NTS will continue to manufacture the product,
and Phenom-World will assume responsibility for marketing, sales and distribution
of the product worldwide, as well as service and warranty repairs for the installed
base.
FEI will retain a minority position in Phenom-World and will retain certain
related intellectual property. FEI expects this transaction will have a minimal
impact on its 2009 fourth quarter earnings and will have a modest positive impact
in 2010. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
"This transaction is consistent with our division strategy of focusing
on value-added solutions for specific industries and groups of customers such
as natural resources," said Paul Scagnetti, vice president and general
manager of FEI's Industry market division. "As we continue to develop individual
applications, we will be able to purchase Phenoms from Phenom-World when it
is appropriate for our customer needs. NTS will combine its manufacturing and
engineering strengths with marketing and distribution of the product."
FEI (Nasdaq:FEIC) is a leading diversified scientific instruments company.
It is a premier provider of electron and ion-beam microscopes and tools for
nanoscale applications across many industries: industrial and academic materials
research, life sciences, semiconductors, data storage, natural resources and
more. With a 60-year history of technological innovation and leadership, FEI
has set the performance standard in transmission electron microscopes (TEM),
scanning electron microscopes (SEM) and DualBeams(TM), which combine a SEM with
a focused ion beam (FIB). FEI's imaging systems provide 3D characterization,
analysis and modification/prototyping with resolutions down to the sub-Angstrom
(one-tenth of a nanometer) level. FEI's NanoPorts in North America, Europe and
Asia provide centers of technical excellence where its world-class community
of customers and specialists collaborate. FEI has approximately 1800 employees
and sales and service operations in more than 50 countries around the world.
More information can be found at: www.fei.com.
Posted November 3rd, 2009
