Document


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
Filed by the Registrant ý Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ¨
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Preliminary Proxy Statement
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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Definitive Proxy Statement
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Definitive Additional Materials
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
 
Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
   

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
 
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This Schedule 14A filing consists of the following communication relating to the proposed acquisition of Electro Scientific Industries, Inc., an Oregon corporation (“ESI”), by MKS Instruments, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (“MKS”), pursuant to the terms of an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated October 29, 2018, by and among MKS, EAS Equipment, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of MKS ("EAS"), and ESI:

ESI Integration Letter, first used or made available on December 19, 2018

To:    ESI Employees     
From:    John TC Lee, President and COO, MKS Instruments
Re:    ESI Integration
Date:    December 19, 2018

As we work towards planning our integration of ESI into the MKS organization, I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on some key decisions that have been made since we publicly announced our intent to purchase ESI.

I am very pleased to announce that Steve Harris has accepted the position of Vice President/General Manager of the ESI business unit, which will become effective after the acquisition closes. Steve is a proven leader and we believe will be a great fit in this role.

The acquisition is expected to close within the first calendar quarter of 2019, pending an ESI shareholder vote and other closing conditions. Until that time, Michael Burger will continue as the CEO of ESI, and his current team will remain intact.  Once the acquisition has closed, Michael will support Steve in a consulting role during a transition period to ensure minimal disruption.

Please join me in congratulating Steve on his new role at MKS leading the ESI business unit. My thanks go out to Michael in advance for his assistance during the transition period.


Additional Information and Where to Find It

This communication is being made in respect of the proposed transaction involving ESI and MKS.  In connection with the merger of EAS with and into ESI (the "Merger"), ESI filed with the SEC a definitive proxy statement on December 6, 2018. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, ESI SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION THAT ESI WILL FILE WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ESI AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. ESI stockholders may obtain free copies of the proxy statement and other relevant documents filed with the SEC by ESI at the SEC’s web site (http://www.sec.gov). Free copies of the proxy statement and other filings made by ESI with the SEC also may be obtained from the Investor Relations section of ESI web site (www.esi.com) or by directing a request to ESI, Attn: Investor Relations, at 13900 N.W. Science Park Drive, Portland, Oregon 97229.






Participants in the Solicitation

ESI and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from ESI’s shareholders with respect to the proposed transaction.  Information about ESI’s directors and executive officers and their ownership of ESI’s common stock is set forth in ESI’s proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on July 10, 2018, and ESI’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, which was filed with the SEC on June 8, 2018.  Additional information regarding the potential participants, and their direct or indirect interests in the proposed transaction, by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the proxy statement and other materials to be filed with SEC in connection with the proposed transaction.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This communication, and any documents to which ESI refers you in this communication, contains not only historical information, but also forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements represent ESI’s current expectations or beliefs concerning future events, including but not limited to the expected completion and timing of the proposed transaction and other information relating to the proposed transaction. Without limiting the foregoing, the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “forecasts,” “should,” “estimates,” “contemplate,” “future,” “goal,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “projection,” “target,” “seek,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “assuming,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. You should read any such forward-looking statements carefully, as they involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results to differ significantly from those projected or contemplated in any such forward-looking statement. Those risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, (i) the risk that the proposed transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, which may adversely affect ESI’s business and the price of the common stock of ESI, (ii) the failure to satisfy any of the conditions to the consummation of the proposed transaction, including the approval of the merger agreement by the shareholders of ESI, (iii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement, and (iv) other risks described in ESI’s filings with the SEC, such as its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Reports on Form 10-K. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this communication or the date of any document incorporated by reference in this document. Except as required by applicable law or regulation, ESI does not assume any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements whether as the result of new developments or otherwise.