Thin-film companies combined into one

Balzers Thin Films (Balzers, Lichtenstein) and Leybold Systems Optics (Hanau, Germany) have been combined into a single company, Balzers Leybold Optics. The new company, an independent subsidiary of Oerlikon Bührle Holding (Zurich, Switzerland), will have 600 employees worldwide. In 1998, the combined sales revenues were more than $100 million. The new company combines Balzer's experience in producing thin-film components with Leybold's history of building equipment for thin-film deposition. The company plans to focus on industries that are growing, producing filters for telecommunications and optical components for data and video projectors and digital cameras, as well as components for the automotive and medical industries.