Fusion Systems Corp.

From the April 28, 1997 Washington Post

	'96 (in $ 000s)	% Change From '95
Revenue	84,600	44.6
Net Income	8,700	(4.4)
Rank Last Year: 66

Description:
Fusion Systems makes manufacturing tools for the semiconductor industry. For part of the year, the company also built ultraviolet curing tools, devices that put protective coatings on products as diverse as auto parts and magazine covers.

Business Resume: Contact Info -- 7600 Standish Place Rockville, Md. 20855 301-251-0300 Main Business -- Manufacturing-- semiconductor machinery Founded -- 1971 Chairperson -- Daniel Tessler President -- Leslie S. Levine (CEO) Employees -- 400 D.C.-Area Employees -- 345

Developments:
In August Fusion agreed to sell its ultraviolet curing division, the business on which the company was founded 26 years ago. The Fairey Group PLC of Surrey, England, paid $121 million for it. The deal transformed Fusion into a company that specializes solely in designing and producing equipment used to manufacture computer chips.

While semiconductor products traditionally have been a growing business for Fusion, a general downturn in the chip industry last year hit the company hard. After hiring 150 people earlier in the year, the company laid off 89 employees in the summer.

Fusion's revenue grew 45 percent in 1996 based on strong performance early in the year. The company expects growth this year of only about 10 percent. The company said that although the chip industry is rebounding, it will take several quarters for orders for equipment to pick up.