General Dynamics Planning to Sell Laser Subsidiary

General Dynamics said Tuesday that it plans to sell its Datagraphix subsidiary, a San Diego-based manufacturer of microfilm equipment and laser printers.

The decision to sell Datagraphix was reached after a private study conducted for St. Louis-based General Dynamics on the “advisability of continued non-defense diversification,” according to company spokesman P.K. Donnelly. “We decided that for now we would concentrate our efforts on maintaining our leadership in the defense and aerospace industries.”

Datagraphix, with 2,500 employees, reported $10.2 million in net profit and $213.5 million in revenues during 1985. The bulk of those employees work at Datagraphix’s San Diego headquarters and production facility.

Datagraphix manufactures equipment that transforms computer-generated information into microfilm, Donnelly said. Large financial institutions, government offices and computer service companies use Datagraphix laser printers to transmit data, Donnelly said.

General Dynamics has engaged First Boston Corp. to handle the proposed sale, but it has not set a timetable for the sale, Donnelly said.