Bruker agrees to buy Varian product lines, smoothing Agilent’s $1.5 billion takeover of Varian

Bruker to buy Varian products to ease Agilent deal

BILLERICA, Mass. — Scientific instrument maker Bruker Corp. said Tuesday it has agreed to buy certain product lines that Agilent Technologies Inc. has agreed to sell as part of its previously announced takeover of competitor Varian Inc.

Agilent and Varian also make scientific instruments.

Bruker said it has agreed to acquire Varian’s Australia-based inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry instruments business, its Netherlands-based laboratory gas chromatography instruments business and its California-based gas chromatography triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry instruments business.

Financial details were not disclosed. Bruker said it would retain key managers and other employees, and that the new businesses would form the core offerings of its newly established chemical analysis division.

Last July, Agilent said it would buy Varian for $1.5 billion in cash. In January, the deal received the go-ahead from European regulators, provided the companies agreed to divest certain products.