National Instruments expands reach into RF and microwave design with acquisition of AWR Corp.

AUSTIN, Texas, 23 May 2011. National Instruments Corp. (NASDAQ:NATI) in Austin, Texas, will acquire AWR Corp. in El Segundo, Calif., to expand National Instruments expertise in RF and microwave electronics design, test, and measurement. When the deal closes, AWR will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of National Instruments, and the AWR management team will remain in place, National Instruments officials say.National Instruments specializes in software-based test and measurement tools for measurement, automation, and embedded systems applications. AWR, on the other hand, supplies electronic design automation (EDA) tools for designing RF and high-frequency components for military, aerospace, communications, test equipment, and semiconductor applications.The merger with AWR will help National Instruments speed the deployment of RF and wireless technologies, explains James Truchard, president and chief executive officer of National Instruments. Combining AWR and National Instruments "offers a significant benefit to the customers of both companies," Truchard says. National Instruments proposes buying AWR for $58 million.

Consolidating AWR and National Instruments design and test tools -- particularly the National Instruments LabVIEW and RF testing hardware with AWR's AWR Microwave Office and Visual System Simulator -- under management of one company will help users streamline how they design and test RF systems, company officials say. The deal should close by early July.

For more information contact National Instruments online at www.ni.com, or AWR at web.awrcorp.com.