Varian, Inc. to Build First Magnetic Resonance Imaging Applications Laboratory in U.K.

Varian, Inc. (Nasdaq: VARI) today announced its plans to build an Imaging Applications Laboratory in Oxford, U.K. to serve magnetic resonance (MR) imaging customers, with particular focus on providing European support. The new laboratory will expand Varian, Inc.’s existing imaging application capabilities, which include an imaging laboratory in Palo Alto, Calif., U.S.A. It will be the first laboratory of its kind in the U.K.

Targeted for completion in early calendar year 2005, the new MR imaging laboratory will be located at Magnex Scientific Limited’s Magnet Technology Centre northwest of Oxford. This will allow for closer collaboration on magnet and gradient development. On November 3 Varian, Inc. completed the purchase of Magnex Scientific Limited. (See press releases dated October 11, 2004 and November 3, 2004).

The fully staffed imaging applications facility will be available to scientists in medical, pharmaceutical, and pre-clinical research areas conducting MR studies, such as examining a drug’s possible side effects during pre-clinical phases. MR imaging is a non-invasive method used to create images of the inside of opaque organs in living organisms, primarily for the study of disease or abnormalities, as well as detecting the amount of bound water in geological structures.

“Over the past years, Varian, Inc. has been making substantial investments to provide our customers with world-class solutions, particularly in the area of information rich detection. The acquisition of Magnex Scientific Ltd. allows us to meet our imaging customers’ requirements for leading-edge magnet technology,” said Garry Rogerson, President and CEO, Varian, Inc. “With the new Imaging Applications Laboratory, we are taking the next step toward a world-class solution by providing the applications expertise and collaborative opportunities to support our imaging customers, especially those in Europe.”

The Imaging Applications Laboratory is the first of three laboratories to be built on the same site. Two other laboratories, addressing analytical and NMR applications, will complement the Imaging Applications Laboratory and make up the company’s new Center of Excellence in the U.K. Varian, Inc. currently operates Centers of Excellence in Darmstadt, Germany, and in Les Ulis, France, serving Scientific Instruments customers in Europe.

Varian, Inc. is a major supplier of scientific instruments, vacuum technologies, and specialized contract electronics manufacturing services. These businesses serve a broad range of life science and industrial customers worldwide. The company manufactures in 14 locations in North America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim and employs some 4,400 people. Varian, Inc. had fiscal year 2004 sales of $916 million. Additional information about Varian, Inc. is available at www.varianinc.com .