Bruker AXS to Acquire Roentec

MADISON, Wisc., Oct. 14 -- Bruker AXS Inc. today announced an agreement to acquire Roentec AG, an x-ray microanalysis instrumentation company with annual revenues of $6 to $7 million, based in Berlin, Germany. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but the acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2005.

Bruker AXS, a Madison, Wisc., subsidiary of Bruker BioSciences Corp., makes x-ray diffraction systems for advanced materials and nanotechnology research, x-ray single crystal diffraction systems for small-molecule and protein 3-D structural analysis and x-ray fluorescence elemental analysis for a variety of materials analysis and quality-control applications. The acquisition marks its first entry into the x-ray microanalysis market, which it said it has applications in nanotechnology and advanced materials research for industry, academia and government research facilities.

Roentec has developed an x-ray microanalysis product line, a mobile systems for the x-ray elemental microanalysis of works of art, and transportable total x-ray reflection (TXRF) systems for elemental trace analysis in liquids, e.g., for environmental or beverage analysis applications. Roentec has established distribution and service capabilities, primarily in Europe.

Frank Burgaezy, executive vice president at Bruker AXS, said, "Roentec has pioneered advanced detector technologies and novel methods for microanalysis and has a strong customer base in certain geographical markets. However, Roentec has been distribution-limited and at a size disadvantage relative to its larger competitors. We believe that the innovative Roentec technologies and product lines, further enhanced by our technological capabilities, can offer leading performance and comprehensive software capabilities to x-ray microanalysis customers in materials research worldwide."

The x-ray microanalysis market includes x-ray accessories for scanning and transmission electron microscopes and stand-alone micro x-ray fluorescence spectrometers.

For more information, visit: www.bruker-axs.com