SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 ------------------------------------------- FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 31, 2000 --------------------- METRIKA SYSTEMS CORPORATION --------------------------------- (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter) Delaware 1-13085 33-0733537 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (State or Other Jurisdiction (Commission File (I.R.S. Employer of Incorporation) Number) Identification No.) 5788 Pacific Center Boulevard San Diego, California 92121 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code) Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (781) 622-1000 This Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are set forth under the heading "Forward-looking Statements" in Exhibit 13 to Metrika Systems Corporation's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 2, 1999. These include risks and uncertainties relating to: customer capital spending policies, market acceptance of new products, technological change and new products, the Registrant's acquisition strategy, international operations, competition, proprietary technology rights, government regulations and approvals, potential fluctuations in quarterly performance, and the potential impact of the year 2000 on processing date-sensitive information. Item 5. Other Events ------------ On January 31, 2000, the Registrant issued a press release, attached hereto as Exhibit 99, regarding certain corporate transactions affecting the Registrant. Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits ------------------------------------------------------------------ (a) Financial Statements of Business Acquired: not applicable (b) Pro Forma Financial Information: not applicable (c) Exhibits: 99 - Press Release dated January 31, 2000 SIGNATURE Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on this 31st day of January, 2000. METRIKA SYSTEMS CORPORATION By: /s/ Theo Melas-Kyriazi ---------------------------- Theo Melas-Kyriazi Chief Financial Officer Exhibit 99 Investor Contact: 781-622-1111 Media Contact: 781-622-1252 METRIKA SYSTEMS ANNOUNCES CASH TENDER OFFER BY THERMO INSTRUMENT SAN DIEGO, Calif., January 31, 2000 - Metrika Systems Corporation (ASE-MKA), a Thermo Electron company (NYSE-TMO), announced today that its parent company, Thermo Instrument Systems Inc. (ASE-THI), will make a cash tender offer for any and all of the outstanding shares of Metrika Systems common stock at $9.00 per share. This action is part of a major reorganization plan under which Thermo Electron will spin in, spin off, and sell various businesses to focus solely on its core measurement and detection instruments business. Thermo Instrument currently owns approximately 70.5 percent of the outstanding shares of Metrika Systems common stock. Thermo Instrument will condition the tender offer on receiving acceptances from holders of enough shares so that, when combined with its current share ownership, Thermo Instrument's ownership reaches at least 90 percent. If Thermo Instrument achieves this 90-percent-ownership threshold, it will acquire all remaining outstanding shares of Metrika Systems common stock through a "short-form" merger in Delaware. Shareholders who do not tender shares to Thermo Instrument during the tender offer would also receive $9.00 per share in cash for their stock in the short-form merger. Thermo Electron, which owns approximately 8.5 percent of the outstanding shares of Metrika Systems common stock, will tender its shares to Thermo Instrument in the tender offer. The tender offer and proposed subsequent short-form merger require Securities and Exchange Commission clearance of necessary filings; a short-form merger would not require Metrika Systems board or shareholder approval. Thermo Instrument plans to conduct the tender offer during the second quarter of 2000. If Thermo Instrument successfully obtains ownership of at least 90 percent of the outstanding Metrika Systems shares, it expects to complete the spin-in by the end of the second quarter of 2000. Metrika Systems Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets on-line, high-speed process-optimization systems for raw materials analysis and finished materials quality control. The company's systems can analyze large volumes of raw materials, such as coal, cement, and minerals, in real time, or measure and control the thickness of web-type finished materials, such as sheet steel, rubber, and plastic foils. Customers worldwide use Metrika's systems and proprietary software to improve product quality and consistency, lower material costs, reduce energy consumption, and minimize waste. More information is available at http://www.thermo.com/subsid/mka1.html on the Internet. OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION: THE TENDER OFFER THAT IS DESCRIBED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS NOT YET COMMENCED. ONCE THE TENDER OFFER COMMENCES, WE WILL FILE A SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. YOU SHOULD READ THIS DOCUMENT WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE BECAUSE IT WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE TENDER OFFER. YOU CAN OBTAIN THE SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT AND OTHER -more- DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION FOR FREE WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE ON THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION'S WEB SITE AT http://www.sec.gov. ALSO, IF YOU WRITE US OR CALL US, WE WILL SEND YOU THE SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT FOR FREE WHEN IT IS AVAILABLE. YOU CAN CALL US AT (781) 622-1111 OR WRITE TO US AT: INVESTOR RELATIONS DEPARTMENT METRIKA SYSTEMS CORPORATION 81 WYMAN STREET, P.O. BOX 9046 WALTHAM, MA 02454-9046 The following constitutes a "Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are set forth under the heading "Forward-looking Statements" in Exhibit 13 to the company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 2, 1999. These include risks and uncertainties relating to: customer capital spending policies, market acceptance of new products, technological change and new products, the company's acquisition strategy, international operations, competition, proprietary technology rights, government regulations and approvals, potential fluctuations in quarterly performance, and the potential impact of the year 2000 on processing date-sensitive information.