In case it's not clear from the name, MKS Instruments makes instruments. In particular, it makes systems that analyze and control gases during semiconductor manufacturing and other industrial processes. Top customers include chip equipment heavyweights Applied Materials, Lam Research, Novellus Systems, and Tokyo Electron; other customers include makers of eyeglasses, fiber-optic cables, flat-panel displays, lasers, pharmaceuticals, and solar panels. The company grew through a series of strategic acquisitions, including Applied Science and Technology (ASTeX; reactive gas equipment) and Emerson's ENI division (plasma power supplies). Customers in the US represent more than half of sales.