Andover, Massachusetts–Oct. 3, 2000–MKS Instruments, Inc., a supplier of gas measurement, control, and analysis products used in semiconductor and other advanced thin-film manufacturing processes, has entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Applied Science and Technology, Inc. (ASTeX), a Wilmington, Massachusetts-based company that develops and manufactures precision reactive gas solutions.
“When this transaction is completed, we believe MKS will offer the most comprehensive line of process control solutions available,” says MKS Chairman and CEO John Bertucci. “Our combined products will monitor and control critical variables–pressure, gas flow, gas composition, and energy–related to advanced thin film processes.”
The merger will add manufacturing capabilities in Massachusetts, Colorado, Germany, and Korea.