Oxford Instruments first-quarter orders ahead of last year

(Reuters) - Technology tools maker Oxford Instruments Plc said orders in the first-quarter were ahead of the year-earlier period, helped mainly by strong performance in North America. The company, which makes CT and MRI maintenance systems and parts, cryogenic systems and nanotechnology tools, said orders were ahead both on a reported and constant currency organic basis for the period from April 1 to date. The company said performance at its imaging specialist unit Andor Technology, which was acquired in January, was slightly ahead of expectations in the first three months of the year. (Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)