Electroscan
Acquired by Phillips in 1996:
"Related Phillips Press Release: PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV PHILIPS ACQUIRES ELECTROSCAN PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION HAS CLOSED ON ITS PURCHASE OF THE ASSETS OF ELECTROSCAN CORPORATION, WILMINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A US MAKER OF ELECTRON MICROSCOPES. ELECTROSCAN STARTED DEVELOPING AND PRODUCING ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPES (ESEM IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK) IN 1985. THE ESEM ALLOWS SPECIMENS TO BE OBSERVED IN A WATER VAPOUR ENVIRONMENT UP TO A PRESSURE OF 50 TORR. THIS PREVENTS DEHYDRATION OF WET SPECIMENS, REDUCING OR ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR SAMPLE PREPARATION. ELECTROSCAN HOLDS A NUMBER OF ESSENTIAL PATENTS FOR THIS TECHNOLOGY WHICH HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO PHILIPS. THE COMPANY EMPLOYS ABOUT 30 PEOPLE, WHO WILL BE OFFERED EMPLOYMENT BY PHILIPS. IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, PHILIPS AND ELECTROSCAN JOINTLY DEVELOPED AND MARKETED A FIELD EMISSION ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING MICROSCOPE. BUYING ELECTROSCAN'S ASSETS WILL ALLOW PHILIPS ELECTRON OPTICS, EINDHOVEN, THE NETHERLANDS, AND ITS AFFILIATES TO FURTHER INTEGRATE THIS UNIQUE AND PROPRIETARY TECHNOLOGY INTO PHILIPS' CURRENT AND FUTURE PRO DUCT LINE OF SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPES. PHILIPS ELECTRON OPTICS SUPPLIES TRANSMISSION AND SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPES TO RESEARCH INSTITUTES, UNIVERSITIES AND INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: ANNEBELLE WIJNEN: +31 40 275 8329, PHILIPS PRESS OFFICE, EINDHOVEN JON KASLE:+ 1 212 850 5342, PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, NEW YORK LENGTH: 307 words HEADLINE: PHILIPS ACQUIRES ELECTROSCAN DA℡INE: EINDHOVEN BODY: Electronics giant Philips on Friday announced it had completed its takeover of ElectroScan Corporation, a US manufacturer of electron microscopes or ESEMs. ESEMs allow specimens to be observed in a high-pressure water vapour environment preventing dehydration of wet specimens. ElectroScan holds a number of patents for this technology, which have been transferred to Philips Electron Optics. In recent years Philips and ElectroScan jointly developed and marketed a Field Emission Environmental Scanning Microscope. The acquisition is in line with Philips' plans to expand its line of scanning electron microscopes. Philips Electron Optics supplies transmission and scanning electron microscopes to research institutes, universities and industrial customers internationally. The takeover will not affect the company's 30 staff. "
