Business briefs

02 May 2003

Including news from Lumenis, Breault Research Organization, Newport and more.

•  Lumenis, the Israeli medical laser maker, has signed an agreement with WaveLight Laser Technologie of Germany regarding WaveLight's Allegretto Wave excimer laser system. The deal gives Lumenis exclusive rights to distribute the laser in the US once the US Food and Drug Administration have approved the product.

Lumenis has also appointed Avner Raz as its new president and chief executive officer (CEO). Raz will take over from caretaker CEO Arie Genger, who will move back to his role as company vice chairman.

•  Kathleen Perkins is taking over the reins as the new chief executive officer of US optical design software developer Breault Research Organization (BRO). The promotion, which is effective immediately, sees Perkins move from her previous role as BRO's vice-president of sales and marketing.

•  Ablestik, a supplier of adhesives, has opened a sales and support office in China. The company says it opened the office in response to the rapid growth in China's microelectronics industry. The company already boasts offices in countries including Japan, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

•  Newport, US, has upgraded the systems test and metrology lab at its research and development headquarters in Irvine, California. The company says the facility has been enhanced to meet the cleanroom requirements needed for nanometer-class precision measurements.

•  Leica-Geosystems has won a contract to supply Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America with a laser-tracking system. Toyota will use the instrument for high-precision inspection and measurement operations at its facility in facility in Erlanger, Kentucky.