UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                
                                
                      WASHINGTON, DC  20549
                                
                                
                            FORM 8-K
                                
                         CURRENT REPORT
                                
                                
               PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
               THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  May 5, 1998


                     GERBER SCIENTIFIC, INC.
                -----------------------------------
                   (Exact name of Registrant as
                    specified in its charter)


           CONNECTICUT              1-5865          06-0640743
 ------------------------------  ------------  --------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction    (Commission    (I.R.S. Employer
       of incorporation or         File No.)   Identification No.)
          organization)


 83 Gerber Road West, South Windsor, Connecticut         06074
--------------------------------------------------  ---------------
     (Address of principal executive offices)         (Zip Code)
                                                           
                                                           
                                                           
Registrant's Telephone Number, including area       (860) 644-1551
code:                                               ---------------



                         Not applicable
                     -----------------------
  (Former name or former address, if changes since last report)

<PAGE>1

                        TABLE OF CONTENTS
                        -----------------


                                                       PAGE
                                                       ----
Item 2.     Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.        2

Item 7(a).  Financial Statements of Business Acquired.   2

Item 7(b).  Pro Forma Financial Information.             2

Item 7(c).  Exhibits.                                    3

Signatures                                               4

<PAGE>2

Item 2.  Acquisition or Disposition of Assets

On  May 5, 1998, Gerber Scientific Inc. ("Gerber") announced  the
successful   completion  of  its  cash  tender  offer   for   the
acquisition of UK-based Spandex PLC ("Spandex"), Europe and North
America's largest distributor of signmaking systems and supplies.
In  its  results  for the year ended December 31,  1997,  Spandex
reported  sales of 101.3 million GBP ($167 million). The acquisition
of  Spandex  and the results of its operations will be  accounted
for in the Company's new fiscal year, which began May 1, 1998.

Operating  out  of 13 countries in Europe, Canada and  the  U.S.,
Spandex is engaged in three main activities: the distribution  of
signmaking systems, the distribution of signmaking materials, and
the manufacturing of signmaking materials. In signmaking systems,
the   company   markets,  distributes,  and  supports   computer-
controlled  signmaking equipment such as vinyl cutting  plotters,
specialist  sign  printers, and routers  manufactured  by  Gerber
Scientific  Products, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of  Gerber.
In  signmaking  materials, the company supplies  a  comprehensive
range   of   products  including  self-adhesive  vinyls,   banner
materials,  specialist signmaking films, application  tapes,  and
sign  blanks  and substrates, as well as extruded  aluminum  sign
systems and plastic components.  In materials manufacturing,  the
company,  through  its wholly-own subsidiary  Ultramark  Adhesive
Products Limited, manufactures self-adhesive vinyl films for  the
sign and allied industries in addition to labeling films for  the
packaging  markets.   Gerber will continue to market,  distribute
and support the Spandex product lines.

The  tender  price for the shares valued Spandex at approximately
106.4  million GBP ($173 million).  In addition, Spandex  had  bank
debt outstanding at the time of acquisition of approximately 6.2
million GBP ($10  million).  The acquisition of the shares  and  the
refinancing of the Spandex debt will be funded from  a  new  $235
million  multi-currency  syndicated  credit  facility  which  the
Company recently negotiated with a bank group.

Item 7(a).  Financial Statements of Business Acquired

As  of the date of filing of this Current Report on Form 8-K,  it
is  impracticable for Gerber to provide the financial  statements
required  by this Item 7(a).  In accordance with Item 7(a)(4)  of
Form  8-K,  such financial statements shall be filed by amendment
to this Form 8-K no later than 60 days after May 20, 1998.

Item 7(b).  Pro Forma Financial Information

As  of the date of filing of this Current Report on Form 8-K,  it
is  impracticable for Gerber to provide the pro  forma  financial
information required by this Item 7(b).  In accordance with  Item
7(b)  of  Form 8-K, such financial statements shall be  filed  by
amendment  to this Form 8-K no later than 60 days after  May  20,
1998.

<PAGE>3

Item 7(c).  Exhibits.

See Exhibit Index on the last page of this Current Report of Form
8-K, which is incorporated by reference.

<PAGE>4

                           SIGNATURES


Pursuant  to the requirements of the Securities Exchange  Act  of
1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed  on
its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.




                            GERBER SCIENTIFIC, INC.
                            ------------------------
                                  (Registrant)
                                 
                                 
                                 
Date:   May 20, 1998        By:  / s / Gary K. Bennett
        ------------------       --------------------------------
                               
                                 Gary K. Bennett
                                 Senior Vice President, Finance
                                 and Principal Accounting Officer

<PAGE>5

                          EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit Index
   Number                     Exhibit                  Page
-------------                 -------                  ----
     2         Recommended Cash Offers by Schroders
               on behalf of Gerber Scientific, Inc.
               for Spandex PLC.*

     99.1      Text of Press Release, dated
               May 5, 1998.*
               
               
               
     
               
*Filed herewith
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 6637}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "GERBER SCIENTIFIC INC", "cik": "0000041133", "assigned-sic": "3559", "irs-number": "060640743", "state-of-incorporation": "CT", "fiscal-year-end": "0430"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-05865", "film-number": "98628915"}, "business-address": {"street1": "83 GERBER RD WEST", "city": "SOUTH WINDSOR", "state": "CT", "zip": "06074", "phone": "8606441551"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "83 GERBER ROAD WESTS", "city": "SOUTH WINDSOR", "state": "CT", "zip": "06074"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "GERBER SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT CO", "date-changed": "19781210"}}
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                
                                
                      WASHINGTON, DC  20549
                                
                                
                            FORM 8-K
                                
                         CURRENT REPORT
                                
                                
               PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
               THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  May 5, 1998

                     GERBER SCIENTIFIC, INC.
                -----------------------------------
                   (Exact name of Registrant as
                    specified in its charter)

           CONNECTICUT              1-5865          06-0640743
 ------------------------------  ------------  --------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction    (Commission    (I.R.S. Employer
       of incorporation or         File No.)   Identification No.)
          organization)

 83 Gerber Road West, South Windsor, Connecticut         06074
--------------------------------------------------  ---------------
     (Address of principal executive offices)         (Zip Code)
                                                           
                                                           
                                                           
Registrant's Telephone Number, including area       (860) 644-1551
code:                                               ---------------

                         Not applicable
                     -----------------------
  (Former name or former address, if changes since last report)
1

                        TABLE OF CONTENTS
                        -----------------

                                                       PAGE
                                                       ----
Item 2.     Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.        2

Item 7(a).  Financial Statements of Business Acquired.   2

Item 7(b).  Pro Forma Financial Information.             2

Item 7(c).  Exhibits.                                    3

Signatures                                               4
2

Item 2.  Acquisition or Disposition of Assets

On  May 5, 1998, Gerber Scientific Inc. ("Gerber") announced  the
successful   completion  of  its  cash  tender  offer   for   the
acquisition of UK-based Spandex PLC ("Spandex"), Europe and North
America's largest distributor of signmaking systems and supplies.
In  its  results  for the year ended December 31,  1997,  Spandex
reported  sales of 101.3 million GBP ($167 million). The acquisition
of  Spandex  and the results of its operations will be  accounted
for in the Company's new fiscal year, which began May 1, 1998.

Operating  out  of 13 countries in Europe, Canada and  the  U.S.,
Spandex is engaged in three main activities: the distribution  of
signmaking systems, the distribution of signmaking materials, and
the manufacturing of signmaking materials. In signmaking systems,
the   company   markets,  distributes,  and  supports   computer-
controlled  signmaking equipment such as vinyl cutting  plotters,
specialist  sign  printers, and routers  manufactured  by  Gerber
Scientific  Products, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of  Gerber.
In  signmaking  materials, the company supplies  a  comprehensive
range   of   products  including  self-adhesive  vinyls,   banner
materials,  specialist signmaking films, application  tapes,  and
sign  blanks  and substrates, as well as extruded  aluminum  sign
systems and plastic components.  In materials manufacturing,  the
company,  through  its wholly-own subsidiary  Ultramark  Adhesive
Products Limited, manufactures self-adhesive vinyl films for  the
sign and allied industries in addition to labeling films for  the
packaging  markets.   Gerber will continue to market,  distribute
and support the Spandex product lines.

The  tender  price for the shares valued Spandex at approximately
106.4  million GBP ($173 million).  In addition, Spandex  had  bank
debt outstanding at the time of acquisition of approximately 6.2
million GBP ($10  million).  The acquisition of the shares  and  the
refinancing of the Spandex debt will be funded from  a  new  $235
million  multi-currency  syndicated  credit  facility  which  the
Company recently negotiated with a bank group.

Item 7(a).  Financial Statements of Business Acquired

As  of the date of filing of this Current Report on Form 8-K,  it
is  impracticable for Gerber to provide the financial  statements
required  by this Item 7(a).  In accordance with Item 7(a)(4)  of
Form  8-K,  such financial statements shall be filed by amendment
to this Form 8-K no later than 60 days after May 20, 1998.

Item 7(b).  Pro Forma Financial Information

As  of the date of filing of this Current Report on Form 8-K,  it
is  impracticable for Gerber to provide the pro  forma  financial
information required by this Item 7(b).  In accordance with  Item
7(b)  of  Form 8-K, such financial statements shall be  filed  by
amendment  to this Form 8-K no later than 60 days after  May  20,
1998.
3

Item 7(c).  Exhibits.

See Exhibit Index on the last page of this Current Report of Form
8-K, which is incorporated by reference.
4

                           SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the requirements of the Securities Exchange  Act  of
1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed  on
its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                            GERBER SCIENTIFIC, INC.
                            ------------------------
                                  (Registrant)
                                 
                                 
                                 
Date:   May 20, 1998        By:  / s / Gary K. Bennett
        ------------------       --------------------------------
                               
                                 Gary K. Bennett
                                 Senior Vice President, Finance
                                 and Principal Accounting Officer
5

                          EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Index
   Number                     Exhibit                  Page
-------------                 -------                  ----
     2         Recommended Cash Offers by Schroders
               on behalf of Gerber Scientific, Inc.
               for Spandex PLC.*

     99.1      Text of Press Release, dated
               May 5, 1998.*
               
               
               
     
               
*Filed herewith