Safety, health and sensor technology group Halma of Amersham, UK, has acquired !%Avo Photonics Inc.%! of Horsham, Pa., from Blaine Hobson, Whitecap Partners, and other shareholders and employees for an initial cash consideration of $9 million. Avo designs and manufactures miniaturized photonic components and subsystems for OEM customers in the military, aerospace, medical, communications and industrial markets. It joins Halma’s photonics businesses (Fiberguide Industries, Labsphere, Ocean Optics and Ocean Thin Films) in the health and analysis sector. The acquisition is expected to give the businesses access to more advanced technologies and manufacturing processes.