Bruker AXS to Buy X-Ray Software Firm

KARLSRUHE, Germany, Aug. 25 -- Bruker AXS GmbH announced it has agreed to pay about 7 million euros to acquire Socabim, a privately held, France-based developer of software for x-ray diffraction, fluorescence and material analysis. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2006.

Socabim supplies software to Bruker AXS for x-ray diffraction and x-ray fluorescence materials analysis. Bruker said the acquisition will expand its core technology base in two of its strategic product and applications areas. It said it intends to merge and colocate Socabim and its French subsidiary, Bruker AXS SA, to the Paris area. Socabim's employees and cofounders Julien Nusinovici and Pierre Caussin, are expected to join the merged company; Nausinovic and Caussin will remain senior managers of its Socabim division.

Frank Burgazy, managing director of Bruker AXS GmbH and president of Bruker AXS SA in France, said the acquisition will enable Bruker AXS to accelerate production and development of its x-ray systems for advanced research and process analysis in the nanomaterials, thin film, composite materials, semiconductor and basic materials industries.

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