Battelle announced this week that it has formed a strategic alliance with Thermo Electron Corporation to pursue the commercialization of key technologies and intellectual property.

Under the terms of the strategic-alliance agreement, Battelle and Thermo Electron (NYSE-TMO) plan to seek mutually beneficial projects that take advantage of Battelle's research and technology prowess and Thermo Electron's market presence and expertise in commercializing new products.

"Battelle is in the business of innovation," said Douglas E. Olesen, Battelle president and chief executive officer. "A major priority of ours is to get technologies and products into the commercial marketplace - and we are delighted to team with Thermo Electron in this key area. Thermo Electron's market knowledge and commercial experience will be very valuable."

"This alliance adds depth to our R&D capabilities and, as a result, our ability to address unmet market needs through unique products," said Richard F. Syron, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Electron. "Several of our businesses are already working with Battelle, and we're especially interested in collaborating on ventures in the biomedical and bioanalytical fields to expand our role in the healthcare marketplace and help set new standards of care."

Thermo Electron Corporation is a world leader in monitoring, analytical, and biomedical instrumentation; biomedical products including heart-assist devices, respiratory-care equipment, and mammography systems; and paper recycling and papermaking equipment. The company also develops alternative-energy systems and clean fuels, provides a range of services including industrial outsourcing and environmental-liability management, and conducts research and development in advanced imaging, lasers, and electronic information-management technologies. With annual worldwide sales of $3.9 billion, Thermo Electron has approximately 26,000 employees and operations in 23 countries. Headquarters are in Waltham, Mass. More information is available on the Internet at www.thermo.com.

Battelle, one of the world's leading R&D organizations, has a rich 70-year history of innovation. Some of Battelle's notable commercial achievements include playing a critical role in the development of the commercial office photocopier (xerography), pioneering work on compact disc technology, developing bar codes used in grocery packaging for automated checkout and inventory control, and developing a technique to bind the anticoagulant heparin to the surface of plastic materials - a technique particularly useful for guarding against blood clots during surgical procedures.

Areas of collaboration with Thermo Electron are likely to build upon Battelle's significant achievements in molecular biology, sensor technology, electronics, materials science, computational mathematics and the analysis of complex data.

Battelle serves industry and government by developing, commercializing and managing technology. With a wide range of scientific and technical capabilities, Battelle puts technology to work for clients in 30 countries.