Bruker To Buy Veeco Businesses

Scientific instrument maker Bruker has agreed to acquire Veeco Instruments’ scanning probe microscopy and optical industrial metrology instruments businesses for $229 million in cash. The two expect to close the deal by the end of December. Bruker says the two businesses combined will bring in revenues of $130 million in 2011 from industrial, academic, and government customers and will bolster its existing materials and nanotechnology research instruments businesses. Veeco says the sale will allow it to focus more on its light-emitting diode, solar, and data storage process equipment business.