Nature of the Business

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Nature of the Business

Nature of the Business

Brooks Automation, Inc. (“Brooks”, or the “Company”) is a leading worldwide provider of automation and cryogenic solutions for multiple markets, including semiconductor capital equipment and life sciences biological sample management and storage. The Company's technologies, engineering competencies and global service capabilities provide customers speed to market and ensure high uptime and rapid response, which equate to superior value in their mission-critical controlled environments. Since 1978, the Company has been a leading partner to the global semiconductor manufacturing markets. The Company has expanded its products and services through product development initiatives and strategic business acquisitions to meet the needs of customers in the life science and technology markets adjacent to semiconductor.

In the second quarter of fiscal year 2014, the Company determined that its Granville-Phillips Gas Analysis & Vacuum Measurement, or Granville-Phillips, business met the criteria of being reported as a discontinued operation. As a result, the Company’s historical financial statements have been revised to present the operating results of the Granville-Phillips business as a discontinued operation. The results of operations from the Granville-Phillips business are presented as “Income from discontinued operations, net of tax” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company has not separated cash flows of the Granville-Phillips business from those of its continuing operations and has not revised its historical statements of cash flows. Unless otherwise noted, the discussion in the notes to these consolidated financial statements relates solely to the Company's continuing operations.