Spirent Sells Nontelcom Unit

LONDON, Sept. 11 -- Spirent Plc has agreed to sell its sensing solutions arm to a unit of General Electric Co. for $220 million cash as part of its plan to sell off noncore businesses. The business which makes products to sense temperature, humidity and pressure for the pharmaceutical, biomedical and automotive industries will be run by GE Industrial Systems.

"The divestment of our sensing solutions businesses is the next step in our strategy to focus on communications activities to serve the long-term growth in the telecommunications industry," Chief Executive Nicholas Brookes said in a statement. All 2,000 workers in the sensing solutions arm will transfer to GE Industrial Systems.