Published May 2002

Technology Briefs

Vixel reorganizing,
selling software division
Vixel Corp., which specializes in storage networking technology, is selling its software division for up to $10 million and reorganizing its remaining operations to cut expenses.

Between the software group sale to Fujitsu Softek and the reorganization, Bothell-based Vixel went from 155 employees to 100 as of April 8.

About 30 of the 55 leaving the company worked in the software group and may be hired by Fujitsu Softek, which is setting up its own local office.

The sale raises money for Vixel and helps it focus exclusively on storage network hardware, company officials said.

Fujitsu Softek is buying the company’s software product, SAN InSite, along with associated intellectual property and development resources. Under the agreement signed in April, Vixel will receive cash payments of $5 million and up to an additional $5 million over the next four years from sales of Fujitsu Softek software based on SAN InSite.

CombiMatrix’s parent
proposes restructure
CombiMatrix Corp., a Mukilteo-based developer of biochip technology, will be effectively spun off as its parent restructures into two publicly traded companies.

Acacia Research Corp., an Internet and media technology firm based in Newport Beach, Calif., has owned a majority of CombiMatrix since 1995.

Under the plan, which hasn’t been voted on yet by stockholders, Acacia will buy the remaining interest in CombiMatrix and then trade its common stock into two new stock issues. One will trade under the CombiMatrix name, reflecting the performance of the biotech company. The other new stock, traded under the name of Acacia Technologies, will be tied to Acacia’s media-related businesses.

Acacia also wants to transfer its majority ownership of Advanced Material Sciences Inc. to CombiMatrix. AMS holds the exclusive license to CombiMatrix’s biological processor array technology in the field of energy-related materials, including fuel cells and batteries.

Fluke buys biomedical firms
Fluke Corp. has purchased three biomedical instrument companies that make test equipment for the health-care industry.

The Everett-based company said in April that it had acquired DNI Nevada, Dale Technologies and part of Bio-Tek Instruments. The three firms previously comprised the biomedical instruments division of Vermont-based Lionheart Technologies Inc.

Fluke’s main products are hand-held test tools used by technicians and engineers.

The three biomedical companies develop and manufacture test equipment and software used in hospitals, the military and medical devices companies. Products include heart defibrillator analyzers, patient simulators and quality assurance software.

Fluke’s new division will have its headquarters in Carson City, Nev., where DNI Nevada is located.

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