Enablence acquires DuPont Photonics
Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and optical communications components and subsystems provider Enablence Technologies (Ottawa, ON, Canada) signed a definitive Asset Purchase Agreement with DuPont Photonics (Wilmington, MA), a wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont (Wilmington, DE), to acquire certain assets of DuPont Photonics. Concurrent with the agreement, DuPont is making a cash investment in Enablence. “DuPont Photonics’ product portfolio is complementary to our current component and subsystems offerings and is consistent with our vertical integration strategy that allows us to build on our core technology strength with higher value added products,” said Arvind Chhatbar, CEO of Enablence.
Pirelli and CyOptics form alliance
The Pirelli Group (Milan, Italy) and CyOptics (Lehigh Valley, PA) announced the formation of a strategic alliance in integrated photonics for telecommunication networks. The agreement foresees integration between PGT Photonics, the Pirelli Group’s photonics company, valued at about $40 million, including available cash, and CyOptics, a privately held company specializing in optical components based on indium phosphide technology. As part of the agreement, Pirelli will participate in a CyOptics capital increase with a cash contribution of $20 million. The agreement combines the complementary technologies of CyOptics’ expertise in indium-phosphide-based lasers and detectors, with PGT Photonics’ investment in silicon-based photonics.
Healthy forecast for VCSEL transceivers
ElectroniCast Consultants (Upper Lake, CA), in a new market forecast and analysis of the global market consumption and technology trends of vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) optical communication transceivers, estimates that the worldwide consumption value of such devices reached $376 million in 2007. This figure is forecast to increase at a 24.5% average annual growth rate to $1.1 billion in 2012. This VCSEL technology emits light vertically through the surface of a wafer rather than through its edges, as with edge-emitting Fabry-Perot (FP) and distributed feedback (DFB) lasers. “This transceiver grouping is forecast to show three times growth by 2012,” said Stephen Montgomery, president of ElectroniCast Consultants.
3S Photonics and Avanex settle dispute
Manufacturer of components for telecommunication networks 3S Photonics (Marcoussis, France), and photonics network solutions provider Avanex (Fremont, CA), resolved their contractual dispute related to a December 2007 filing by Avanex alleging premature termination of the exclusive distribution agreement with 3S Photonics. While neither side admits liability, the two parties have agreed to a settlement on payables, receivables, and a release by both parties of all claims asserted against each other; with this resolution, there will be no further litigation between 3S Photonics and Avanex. Avanex launched 3S Photonics in early 2007—essentially, 3S Photonics comprises the former Avanex France, which was formerly Alcatel Optronics.
Fujitsu is expanding U.S. manufacturing
In an era where many companies are outsourcing manufacturing to locations outside the U.S., Fujitsu Network Communications says it is shifting manufacturing of key optical and electronic components from Europe and Japan to its Richardson, TX, headquarters. In the process, 67 new professional and production jobs will be created in North Texas. “Fujitsu is one of only a few major optical networking vendors that manufactures its own equipment in North America,” said Hans Roehrig, senior vice president of operations and manufacturing at Fujitsu Network Communications. “By optimizing our in-sourced supply chain and implementing highly regarded manufacturing philosophies, we are able to respond faster to rapidly changing customer requirements and deliver industry-leading product reliability.”
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Also in the news . . .
RCN Metro Optical Networks (New York, NY) selected Infinera’s (Sunnyvale, CA) Digital Optical Network to enhance capacity and capabilities in its mid-Atlantic regional network; Infinera was also selected by The Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI) for its Breakable Experimental Network that links RENCI to sites at three universities in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. . . . Telecommunications equipment and optical fiber manufacturer Sterlite Technologies (Pune, India) reported that its Q1 2008 net revenue was up 69% and export revenues were up 106%. . . . Specialty-fiber manufacturer Fibercore (Southampton, England) launched a customer-focused guide to fiber-optic technology called “The Fibercore Fiberpaedia” that provides explanations and definitions of some of the most important fiber-optic concepts and parameters. . . . GigOptix (Palo Alto, CA) said that ZTE (Shenzhen, China) adopted one of its modulator drivers for use in one of ZTE’s Chinese-based system house’s dense-wavelength-division-multiplexed systems.