Thermo Electron Unites Lasers, Photonics as Spectra-Physics Brand

WALTHAM, Mass., Jan. 7 -- Thermo Electron Corp. announced it has combined all of its lasers and photonics offerings under the Spectra-Physics brand. The new Spectra-Physics now encompasses the product lines of laser science, the catalog operations of Oriel, the specialty components of Corion, Hilger crystals and Richardson gratings (RGL) and the imaging-camera business of CIDTEC.

Thermo Electron will now offer two brand names, Thermo Electron Corp. for its high-tech instruments for laboratory and industrial customers -- which comprise approximately 85 percent of the company's revenues -- and Spectra-Physics for its lasers and photonics offerings. However, all business functions will continue to be fully integrated across the company.

"Over the past year, we have made significant progress demonstrating to customers the depth and breadth of our capabilities by unifying our high-tech instrument offerings under a 'One Thermo' banner," said Marijn E. Dekkers, president and CEO of Thermo Electron. "Similarly, we are launching the newly expanded Spectra-Physics brand to better serve our photonics and OEM customers with the broadest range of optical technologies, capabilities and services. A recent independent survey indicated that the Spectra-Physics name is synonymous with high-quality lasers and photonics products. We plan to leverage that brand value to build Spectra-Physics into a photonics powerhouse -- providing increased value for our customers, employees and shareholders."

According to Guy Broadbent, president of Spectra-Physics and Thermo Electron's Optical Technologies sector, "We are placing an important new emphasis on working together across the organization to provide more comprehensive services and integrated products.

"We plan to partner with customers to deliver value-added solutions beyond just components or products from a single technology area -- for example, providing for OEM customers everything from design services to prototyping through subsystem assembly," Broadbent said.

For more information, visit: www.spectra-physics.com