| Janet, Thought you would have posted this, it is great news, IMHO.
 
 FREMONT, Calif., Dec. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- SteriGenics International, Inc.
 (NASDAQ:STER) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement
 to acquire the Nicolet Electron Services ("NES") division of ThermoSpectra
 Corporation (AMEX:THS).  NES is a leading provider of contract electron beam
 radiation services based in San Diego, California.
 The purchase price is approximately $7 million, consisting of $5 million
 in cash and common stock valued at $2 million.  Subject to customary
 conditions, the transaction is expected to close within several days.
 NES has achieved strong growth in sales and profitability by providing
 quality electron beam radiation services for applications including the
 sterilization of health care products and the radiation processing of
 semiconductors and other products.  The acquisition is expected to be
 immediately accretive to SteriGenics' earnings per share.
 James F. Clouser, SteriGenics' President and CEO, stated, "The acquisition
 of NES is an important step in our strategic acquisition program.  We expect
 this acquisition to strengthen our leading position in the contract radiation
 services market in California and throughout the nation.  The acquisition of
 NES accelerates our entry into the electron beam radiation services business.
 In addition to the range of products currently processed by NES, SteriGenics
 believes that providing e-beam services enhances the range of potential
 solutions SteriGenics can offer in addressing the important need for making
 our nation's food supply safe by using ionizing pasteurization."
 Lewis A. Parks, Ph.D., currently Manager of NES, will join SteriGenics
 upon completion of the transaction as Director of Electron Beam Services.
 Dr. Parks stated, "I am pleased to join the team at SteriGenics, and I am
 confident that the resources and focus which SteriGenics provides will prove
 beneficial both for our customers and our employees."
 SteriGenics International, Inc., headquartered in Fremont, California, is
 a provider of high quality contract sterilization services with more than
 18 years of experience in the operation, design and development of gamma
 irradiation facilities and equipment.  The company operates 12 gamma
 irradiation facilities in six states serving more than 850 customers
 predominantly in the health care products market.  SteriGenics has recently
 expanded into various non-medical sterilization and processing markets
 including spices, cosmetics and fresh foods.
 ThermoSpectra Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets precision
 imaging, inspection, measurement instrumentation, and temperature-control
 systems.  ThermoSpectra is a subsidiary of Thermo Instrument Systems Inc.
 (AMEX:THI), a Thermo Electron company (NYSE:TMO).
 This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the
 company's potential markets and future operating results.  Because such
 statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and
 uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from the company's
 current expectations.  Factors that could cause or contribute to such
 differences include, but are not limited to, risks related to managing growth
 and potential acquisitions, unpredictability of future operating results,
 likely fluctuations in quarterly operating results, the uncertainty of
 expansion in non-medical markets, competition, risks related to government
 regulation and other risks set forth in the company's quarterly report on
 Form 10-Q as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
 November 13, 1997.
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