News Briefs

Bruker AXS Inc., a Madison, Wisc., maker of analytical x-ray systems for elemental analysis, materials research and structural investigations, said Tuesday it has closed its acquisitions of Roentec AG and the microanalysis business of Princeton Gamma-Tech Instruments Inc. (PGT), which it announced in October. Bruker AXS has combined the two units into its new Bruker AXS Microanalysis business, headed by Bruker AXS Executive Vice President Roger Durst, with operations in Berlin, Germany; Coventry, England; Princeton, N.J.; and Madison. It has also appointed Thomas Schuelein, previously with Roentec, as vice president for microanalysis and Douglas Skinner, formerly with PGT, as assistant vice president for microanalysis. Bruker AXS is a subsidiary of Bruker BioSciences Corp., based in Billerica, Mass. . . . Austin, Texas-based Freescale Semiconductor and Cadence Design Systems Inc. of San Jose, Calif., have signed a multiyear agreement that designates Cadence as Freescale's primary vendor for electronic design automation (EDA) software, hardware and services. The companies will collaborate on the development of new, highly advanced EDA technologies used to create semiconductor products for the wireless, automotive, networking and computing segments, focusing on low-power, mixed-signal and high-performance designs. Freescale said the collaboration is part of its effort to streamline its design technology operations, including reducing its roster of third-party EDA vendors. Cadence will be Freescale's primary supplier of EDA tools and services; but Freescale said it will continue to use specialized EDA technology from other suppliers. . . . . IPG Photonics Corp., an Oxford, Mass., maker of fiber lasers, was named by the Worcester Business Journal as one of the 2005 top growth companies in central Massachusetts, ranking as the number two top growth private company. Over the last three years, IPG Photonics has increased its revenues over 173 percent (80 percent in 2004 alone) and expanded employment in Massachusetts by a similar percentage. IPG's CEO and founder, Valentin Gapontsev, PhD, said he credits the company's growth to accelerating market adoption of fiber lasers and increased demand for telecommunications equipment. IPG makes fiber laser systems from 1 W to 50 kW, diode lasers, and fiber amplifiers for a variety of materials processing, telecommunications and medical applications. . . . JDSU, a San Jose, Calif., provider of communications test and measurement systems and optical products, announced it has granted compensatory stock option awards to former employees of Acterna Inc., in connection with its acquisition on Aug. 3, comparable to stock option awards that JDSU generally grants to its new employees. Options covering a total of 2,014,142 shares of JDSU common stock were granted to 283 employees. The awards were approved by the compensation committee of the JDS Uniphase Corp. board of directors on Aug. 26.