Suppliers Get In on the Merger/Alliance Action

Rick Thoman, Xerox president and CEO, says the acquisition saves four or five years of market research and development, and brings Xerox's printer line sales to about $1 billion.

Thoman anticipates the color printer line to continue to grow at double-digit rates, and expects the color printer market to soar from about $2 billion to $6 billion in the next five years. "What this deal does is combine Tektronix's strong technology, wonderful time-to-market, very impressive management and technical group, along with Xerox brand and reach, and resources."