Varian Associates, Palo Alto, announced that it...

Varian Associates, Palo Alto, announced that it will withdraw from the semiconductor lithography-equipment business and will dispose of its lithography-products division.

Varian Chairman Thomas D. Sege said pretax losses for lithography-division products during the first six months of fiscal 1985 amounted to about $7 million. He said second-quarter losses alone were $12 million.

The division employed about 190 persons, primarily in three Massachusettslocations--Danvers, Gloucester and Lexington. About 100 will be laid off immediately, and John D. Tompkins, president of Varian’s semiconductor-equipment group, said the company probably wouldn’t be able to absorb more than a handful at other Varian facilities.

In a separate announcement, Varian said it agreed to buy the assets of Dallas-based Continental Electronics Manufacturing for an undisclosed amount.

Cetec, El Monte, will consolidate its Southern California electronics operations to two locations from three.

The South Gate branch will become an accounting, computer-support and warehouse facility, and the outside sales employees will be transferred to facilities in Irvine and Chatsworth. The company makes and distributes electronic and plastic products.

Ashton Tate, Culver City, opened a subsidiary in Spain, its fourth foreign unit.

Computer Sciences, El Segundo, entered a joint venture with two French government-owned companies--Transpac S.A. and France Cables et Radio S.A.--to cooperate in international data communications.