2014年2月5日消息 世界领先的成像和分析系统仪器供应商FEI今天宣布，其已6800万美元收购Lithicon公司。Lithicon主要向全球石油和天然气公司供应先进的数字化岩技术服务和孔隙级微型计算机断层扫描(microCT)设备。收购的同时，FEI通过授权和开发协议，将获取螺旋扫描microCT产品和澳大利亚国立大学(ANU)的相关软件。

　　FEI公司总裁兼首席执行官Don Kania说：“购买Lithicon和microCT设备，完成我们为石油和天然气市场提供的数字岩石工作流程，这将显著加快我们的服务市场的增长速度。我们将Lithicon和microCT设备与FEI自动矿物学技术、三维可视产品、建模知识和电子显微镜产品结合，为常规和非常规石油和天然气市场提供一个独特而强大的工作流程解决方案。另外一个益处就是将会引导microCT设备向我们其他的销售市场扩张，我们相信这种技术和相关工作流程会有大量需求。”

FEI Buys Digital Rock Solutions Provider and microCT Product

Lithicon's Solutions Will Expand FEI's Oil & Gas Industry Offerings

HILLSBORO, Ore., Feb. 5, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FEI (Nasdaq:FEIC), a leading instrumentation company providing imaging and analysis systems for research and industry, today announced that it has acquired Lithicon AS of Trondheim, Norway and Canberra, Australia. Lithicon provides leading-edge digital rock technology services and pore-scale micro computed tomography (microCT) equipment to oil and gas companies worldwide. In conjunction with the acquisition, FEI has obtained the helical scan microCT product and associated software from the Australian National University (ANU), through a licensing and development agreement.

"The acquisition of Lithicon and the microCT tool completes our digital rock workflow for the oil and gas market," said Don Kania, president and CEO of FEI. "This will significantly accelerate the growth of our served available market. We will integrate both Lithicon and the microCT product with our automated mineralogy capabilities, our advanced 3D visualization and modeling expertise and our electron microscopy leadership to provide a unique and powerful workflow solution for both conventional and unconventional oil & gas markets. Another important benefit will result from the expansion of microCT equipment sales into our other markets, where we believe there is a large demand for this technology and associated workflows."

"We are very pleased with FEI's acquisition of Lithicon," commented Lithicon Chairman Terje Eidesmo. "After learning more about FEI, its strengths and its plans, we are convinced of the synergies they will provide. CEO Odd Hjelmeland and the team have built Lithicon's technology and business successfully, and we believe this is the right time for us to hand over the reins to FEI."

"Combining with FEI gives Lithicon added financial strength, distribution capabilities and complimentary technical know-how to continue the company's growth," said Victor Pantano, the new general manager of Lithicon. "We believe digital rock technology is a needed breakthrough for the oil and gas industry, and the acquisition by FEI will allow Lithicon to take full advantage of this opportunity."

Lithicon is the result of the 2013 integration of two of the world's leading digital core imaging and analysis companies: Digitalcore Pty Ltd of Canberra, Australia and Numerical Rocks AS of Trondheim, Norway. The company combines Digitalcore's unique core imaging and processing expertise with Numerical Rocks' next-generation multiphase flow modeling capabilities to give it a leadership position in the emerging digital rock analysis market. Numerical Rocks is a 2004 spinoff from Statoil ASA, and Digitalcore was founded in 2009 based on technology developed at the ANU and the University of New South Wales.

The purchase price was $68 million. It was paid for with funds from FEI's European operations which otherwise would be subject to U.S. taxation if repatriated. The acquisition is projected to add approximately 1% to 2% to FEI's revenues for the balance of 2014. FEI expects the acquisition to be accretive to GAAP earnings in 2015 and slightly dilutive to GAAP earnings in 2014.

About FEI

FEI Company (Nasdaq:FEIC) designs, manufactures and supports a broad range of high-performance microscopy workflow solutions that provide images and answers at the micro-, nano- and picometer scales. Its innovation and leadership enable customers in industry and science to increase productivity and make breakthrough discoveries. Headquartered in Hillsboro, Ore., USA, FEI has over 2,600 employees and sales and service operations in more than 50 countries around the world. More information can be found at: www.fei.com.