Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 29, 2012
Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	1. Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies GSI Group Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as the “Company”) design, develop, manufacture and sell laser-based solutions (primarily lasers), laser scanning devices, and precision motion and optical control technologies. Our technology is incorporated into customer products or manufacturing processes for a wide range of applications in a variety of markets, including: electronics, industrial, medical, and scientific. Our products enable customers to make advances in materials and processing technology and to meet extremely precise manufacturing specifications. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in U.S. dollars and in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, applied on a consistent basis. The accounting policies underlying these unaudited consolidated financial statements are those set forth in Note 3 to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. Those policies are not presented herein, except to the extent that new policies have been adopted, or there is material current period activity or changes to our policies to disclose. The Company’s unaudited interim financial statements are prepared on a quarterly basis ending on the Friday closest to the end of the calendar quarter, with the exception of the fourth quarter which always ends on December 31. The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the instructions to Form 10-Q and the provisions of Regulation S-X pertaining to interim financial statements. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. The interim consolidated financial statements and notes included in this report should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. As discussed in Note 2, the Company classified the Semiconductor Systems and Laser Systems businesses as held for sale beginning in the second quarter of 2012. As a result, certain prior period information included in the consolidated statements has been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. The interim consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its 50% owned joint venture, Excel Laser Technology Private Limited (“Excel SouthAsia JV”). Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. In the opinion of management, these interim consolidated financial statements include all significant adjustments and accruals necessary for a fair presentation of the results of the interim periods presented. The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the year or for any future periods. *Use of Estimates* The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of sales and expenses during the reporting periods. The Company evaluates its estimates based on historical experience, current conditions and various other assumptions that it believes are reasonable under the circumstances. Estimates and assumptions are reviewed on an on-going basis and the effects of revisions are reflected in the period in which they are deemed to be necessary. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates. *Recent Accounting Pronouncements* In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2011-08, “Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350) – Testing Goodwill for Impairment” (ASU 2011-08), to allow entities to use a qualitative approach to test goodwill for impairment. ASU 2011-08 permits an entity to first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. If it is concluded that this is the case, it is necessary to perform the currently prescribed two-step goodwill impairment test. Otherwise, the two-step goodwill impairment test is not required. ASU 2011-08 became effective for the Company in the second quarter of 2012. The adoption of ASU 2011-08 did not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In July 2012, the FASB issued ASU 2012-02, “Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment”. Similar to goodwill impairment testing guidance under ASU 2011-08, the revised standard allows entities to use a qualitative approach to test indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment. ASU 2012-02 permits entities to perform a qualitative assessment by considering events and circumstances which would impact the fair value of the entity’s indefinite-lived intangible assets to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of the entity’s indefinite-lived intangible assets are impaired. If it is determined that this is the case, it is necessary to perform the currently prescribed two-step impairment test. Otherwise, the two-step impairment test is not required. The revised standard is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this amendment will not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

1. Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

GSI Group Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as the “Company”) design, develop, manufacture and sell laser-based solutions (primarily lasers), laser scanning devices, and precision motion and optical control technologies. Our technology is incorporated into customer products or manufacturing processes for a wide range of applications in a variety of markets, including: electronics, industrial, medical, and scientific. Our products enable customers to make advances in materials and processing technology and to meet extremely precise manufacturing specifications.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in U.S. dollars and in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, applied on a consistent basis. The accounting policies underlying these unaudited consolidated financial statements are those set forth in Note 3 to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. Those policies are not presented herein, except to the extent that new policies have been adopted, or there is material current period activity or changes to our policies to disclose.

The Company’s unaudited interim financial statements are prepared on a quarterly basis ending on the Friday closest to the end of the calendar quarter, with the exception of the fourth quarter which always ends on December 31.

The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the instructions to Form 10-Q and the provisions of Regulation S-X pertaining to interim financial statements. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. The interim consolidated financial statements and notes included in this report should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. As discussed in Note 2, the Company classified the Semiconductor Systems and Laser Systems businesses as held for sale beginning in the second quarter of 2012. As a result, certain prior period information included in the consolidated statements has been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

The interim consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its 50% owned joint venture, Excel Laser Technology Private Limited (“Excel SouthAsia JV”). Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. In the opinion of management, these interim consolidated financial statements include all significant adjustments and accruals necessary for a fair presentation of the results of the interim periods presented. The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the year or for any future periods.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of sales and expenses during the reporting periods. The Company evaluates its estimates based on historical experience, current conditions and various other assumptions that it believes are reasonable under the circumstances. Estimates and assumptions are reviewed on an on-going basis and the effects of revisions are reflected in the period in which they are deemed to be necessary. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2011-08, “Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350) – Testing Goodwill for Impairment” (ASU 2011-08), to allow entities to use a qualitative approach to test goodwill for impairment. ASU 2011-08 permits an entity to first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. If it is concluded that this is the case, it is necessary to perform the currently prescribed two-step goodwill impairment test. Otherwise, the two-step goodwill impairment test is not required. ASU 2011-08 became effective for the Company in the second quarter of 2012. The adoption of ASU 2011-08 did not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In July 2012, the FASB issued ASU 2012-02, “Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment”. Similar to goodwill impairment testing guidance under ASU 2011-08, the revised standard allows entities to use a qualitative approach to test indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment. ASU 2012-02 permits entities to perform a qualitative assessment by considering events and circumstances which would impact the fair value of the entity’s indefinite-lived intangible assets to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of the entity’s indefinite-lived intangible assets are impaired. If it is determined that this is the case, it is necessary to perform the currently prescribed two-step impairment test. Otherwise, the two-step impairment test is not required. The revised standard is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this amendment will not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.