Imaging and analysis systems company FEI Co. has purchased Visualization Sciences Group (VSG) of Bordeaux, France, for €44.8 million (about $55 million). The acquisition is expected to expand FEI’s image analysis capability across all of its markets. FEI funded the purchase with euros from its European operations, which otherwise would be subject to US taxation if repatriated. The acquisition is expected to have a neutral impact on the company’s earnings for the second half of 2012 and to be accretive in 2013, it said. VSG provides high-performance 3-D visualization software products and tools for the life and materials sciences, industrial inspection, geosciences, oil and gas, and mining markets. For more information, visit: www.fei.com