Broadening its offerings in the laser and precision motion components business groups, GSI Lumonics Inc. of Billerica, Mass., has purchased Westwind Air Bearings Ltd. of Poole, UK, along with its subsidiaries and outstanding shares, from Cobham plc of Wimborne, UK, in a cash transaction of roughly $37 million. Westwind's high-precision rotary motion components, based on its proprietary air-bearing spindle technology, are suitable for several of GSI's markets, including printed circuit board drilling, semiconductor manufacturing, optical scanning, and medical and reprographic imaging.

Also, GSI has received an order valued at approximately $6 million for WaferTrim M310 laser trim systems from an integrated circuit manufacturer based in the US. The technology is used to produce precision linear- and mixed-signal devices with greater functionality on smaller die. Delivery is expected in the first quarter of the year.