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br> Philips announced it has signed a definitive agreement with Intermagnetics under which Philips will acquire Intermagnetics for USD 1.3 billion (EUR 1 billion) to be paid in cash upon completion. Intermagnetics develops, manufactures and markets high-field superconducting magnets used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. Intermagnetics employs approximately 1150 people. Magnetic resonance imaging is one of the key imaging technologies in radiology departments in hospitals. In 2005, total MRI market was approximately EUR 5 billion.

Wavecom, French supplier in pre-packaged wireless communications solutions for automotive, industrial (machine-to-machine) and mobile professional applications, announced its acquisition of NexGen Software, France-based software company specializing in TCP/IP internet software.

NexGen Software brings to Wavecom its internally-developed TCP/IP (internet) suite of protocol stacks and internet software expertise along with a worldwide customer base of over 100.

NexGen Software was founded in 1999 and operated profitably in 2005. The acquisition is a cash transaction of EUR 400,000.

Thales and Diehl signed an agreement on the formation of Junghans Microtec combining their expertise in ammunition electronics and precision mechanics to establish one of the world’s leading fuze suppliers.

The company will specialize in the development, production and marketing of ammunition fuzes and safety devices. Following approval by the anti-trust authorities, the corporate division Diehl VA Systeme and Thales subsidiary TDA will hold 51% and 49% of the company shares respectively.

Junghans Microtec will concentrate its resources at La Ferté Saint Aubin, France, and at its new headquarters in Duningen-Seedorf, Germany, where Diehl is currently investing in the expansion and modernization of its facilities. With initially 350 employees, the new company intends to achieve annual sales of €70 M.

Telit Communications, Italian wireless communications developer and distributor, announced the acquisition of 75% of Bellwave m2m, a South Korean wireless communications developer of machine to machine modules, in a cash transaction totalling US$6.18M. Bellwave's m2m business has generated some $21M revenue in 2005 with dominant market share in South Korea close to 50%.

Bellwave m2m, which developed and marketed the world's smallest CDMA data communications module, has currently 40 employees. The combination of the two entities will create a new force in the m2m market, capable of servicing all CDMA and GSM and in a future also WCDMA markets, on a global basis. Telit ranks as the third largest supplier of wireless M2M modules on the European market behind Siemens and Wavecom.

Motorola has completed its previously announced acquisition of a development center in Denmark, from BenQ. By this acquisition Motorola is doubling its organization in Denmark which becomes one of its R&D and development hubs in the region. As part of the transaction, Motorola is acquiring approximately 250 employees, the majority of whom are engineers. The new Motorola-team in Aalborg will play an important role in Motorola Mobile Devices global R&D organisation.

Indian IT Services group Wipro Technologies has signed an agreement to acquire the Finland based Saraware in an all cash deal for Euro 25 Million. Saraware, a 21 year old company, provides Design and Engineering services to Telecom companies. This acquisition adds expert domain competencies in the areas of radio networks and secure mobile platforms. Saraware has nearly 200 specialists in these domains based out of Finland.