Summit Partners Buys British Company
Summit Partners has paid $76.1 million for a majority ownership of London-based Actix Limited, a provider of wireless performance engineering software. Summit Partners is a private equity and venture capital firm based in Boston.

Cognex Receives $1.8 Million Order from German Firm
Cognex Corporation has announced that German paper manufacturer Felix Schoeller Group has placed an order worth $1.8 million with the Natick manufacturer for its SmartView surface inspection system. Schoeller will use the system at its plants in Germany and Canada to inspect its high-end paper products for defects. Cognex is a worldwide supplier of machine vision systems.

Exports Hit Record in 2004
The Alliance for the Commonwealth, an affiliate of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, reported that Bay State companies shipped $21.8 billion worth of products overseas in 2004, topping the previous record of $20.5 billion set in 2000. The new record represents an increase of more than $3.1 billion over the prior year.

Verdasys To Sell Product in Japan
Verdasys, Inc., a maker of computer data security software, and Mitsui Bussan Secure Directions (MBSD), announced a strategic partnership for the sale of the company's Digital Guardian in Japan. Tokyo's MBSD is an information security service provider. Verdasys is based Waltham.

Lionbridge To Open in India
Lionbridge Technologies announced that it will open a new software testing facility in Chennai, India. The center will initially employ about 200 people. Lionbridge, a worldwide provider of testing services, is based in Waltham.

Sonus Networks Expands in Asia
Sonus Networks Inc., of Chelmsford, announced that it has expanded its international presence. The company has opened a software development and regional support center in Bangalore, India, which will concentrate on the development of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications. Sonus has also formed a distribution relationship with Beijing TianFengJuYuan Technology Co., Ltd. of Beijing, China, to offer Sonus voice products to the Chinese carrier market.

Genzyme Acquires German Firm
Medical firm Genzyme Corp. announced that it has acquired Verigen AG, a private company based in Leverkusen, Germany, with a proprietary cell therapy product for cartilage repair currently sold in Europe and Australia. The transaction will provide Genzyme with cell culture facilities in those two continents. Genzyme is based in Cambridge.

English Firm To Purchase Massachusetts Company
Smiths Group of London announced that it is acquiring ETI Technology Inc., a Boston- based company that specializes in the detection of harmful biological agents. Smiths is acquiring the business for $4 million in cash, plus a deferred performance-related consideration up to $4.5 million. Smiths Group designs and manufactures systems and products for the aerospace industry, detection systems, medical devices, mechanical seals and other products.

Arantech To Open Boston Office
Dublin-based Arantech, a provider of end-to-end mobile customer experience management software, has announced plans to open a U.S. office in Boston. The company appointed Cathal McGloin as vice president, North America. The expansion follows a successful venture capital campaign to raise $10 million led by Trident Capital of Palo Alto, Calif.

Inotek Pharmaceuticals To Acquire Facility in Israel
Inotek Pharmaceuticals Corporation announced that it has acquired a 30,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Dimona, Israel. The manufacturing plant will provide Inotek with the ability to manufacture drugs for many of the company's ongoing Phase I and Phase II clinical trials, produce drugs for Inotek's ongoing research and development programs, and provide commercial quantities for approved drugs. Inotek Pharmaceuticals Corporation specializes in medicines for cell necrosis, tissue injury and inflammatory disease and is based in Beverly.

ThinkGlobal Receives Award
ThinkGlobal Inc. has received an APEX 2005 publication excellence award for its quarterly ThinkGlobal Massachusetts international trade newsletter. The ThinkGlobal international trade publications are available online and are distributed at no charge to manufacturers and service providers involved in international trade. ThinkGlobal also publishes Commercial News USA, the official export promotion magazine of the U.S. Commerce Department.


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