Voce Capital Management, LLC is pressing Nanometrics Incorporated (NasdaqGS:NANO) and Rudolph Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:RTEC) to merge, saying the two would be stronger together. In a letter to investors on January 19, 2017, Voce Capital Management LLC said a combination of Rudolph and Nanometrics would lead to cost-cutting and revenue growth through cross-selling to each other's customers. Voce Capital Management owns about 1% of each company.

The two companies have been in talks about a deal, according to people familiar with the matter, but it isn't clear where they currently stand.