NeoPhotonics acquires LightConnect, OpTun
NeoPhotonics (San Jose, CA), supplier of fiberoptic component and module solutions for broadband networks, acquired LightConnect (Newark, CA) and OpTun (Santa Clara, CA).
LightConnect is a manufacturer of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based components and modules for the fiberoptic communications industry, with products including variable optical attenuators, blockers, and dynamic channel equalizers. OpTun is a developer of planar-lightwave-circuit (PLC)-based reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers (ROADMs). “The combination of LightConnect’s broad array of MEMS optical switching products and OpTun’s ROADM module design capabilities with NeoPhotonics’ existing PLC passive optical components allows us to provide ‘best in class’ ROADMs to equipment suppliers for all different network architectures,” said Tim Jenks, CEO of NeoPhotonics.
NeoPhotonics also announced completion of equity financing of more than $50 million.
Level 3 Communications grows metro services
A provider of Internet connectivity for millions of subscribers through its comprehensive broadband fiberoptic network, Level 3 Communications (Broomfield, CO) signed a definitive agreement to acquire Looking Glass Networks (Oak Brook, IL). Level 3’s payments in this transaction will total $165 million. Looking Glass provides data-transport services and its network includes approximately 2000 route miles serving 14 major metro markets, with lit-fiber connectivity to approximately 215 buildings.
“The acquisition of Looking Glass will enhance our recently announced Level 3 Metro Services business unit,” said Kevin O’Hara, president and COO of Level 3. “Looking Glass has a strong base of customers who buy a wide range of transport services in the largest U.S. metro markets. We believe they will benefit greatly from the combination of our existing platform with the advanced capabilities and reach of Level 3’s broad network and services,” said Lynn E. Refer, CEO of Looking Glass. Looking Glass is expected to generate approximately $75 million to $80 million of revenue in 2006.
Luminent acquires transceiver manufacturer
A wholly owned subsidiary of MRV Communications, Luminent (Chatsworth, CA) has agreed to acquire HG Genuine Opto (Wuhan, China), a subsidiary of Huagong Tech Company Limited (HG Tech). HG Genuine Opto is the second largest fiberoptic transceiver manufacturer based wholly in China. Under the agreement, Luminent will acquire HG Genuine for $40 million in cash and 15% of Luminent’s common stock to be outstanding at the time the acquisition closes.
“We believe the technology, cost structure, and increasingly global customer base of the combined company will provide a complete solution for Metro and Access transceivers,” said Near Margalit, CEO of Luminent. “The combined entity should have an average monthly module run rate surpassing 200,000 units. HG Genuine provides a distinctive combination of technical expertise, manufacturing capacity, and cost structure that complements Luminent’s rapid growth and expansion in fast growing Metro and Fiber to the Premises markets.” Annual revenues of the combined company are expected to place Luminent among the top fiberoptic component suppliers in the world.
EXFO grows earnings, wins awards
For its third of fiscal 2006, communications test-equipment provider EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering (Quebec City, QC, Canada) reported significant increases in sales, bookings, and net earnings. Sales increased 35.3% to $35.4 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2006-up from $26.2 million in the third quarter of 2005. Net bookings reached $37.9 million in the third quarter compared to $28.9 million in the same period last year.
EXFO also received the 2006 Product Differentiation Innovation Award from Frost & Sullivan for its portfolio of protocol test solutions for next-generation and traditional SONET networks, and its Growth Strategy Leadership Award for the third consecutive year. The Frost & Sullivan Growth Strategy Leadership Award is presented annually to the company whose organic growth strategy delivers the largest market-share gains in the global fiberoptic test equipment (FOTE) market during the past year.
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Also in the news . . .
ANDA Networks (Sunnyvale, CA), a provider of carrier-class Ethernet solutions for fiber- and copper-based access networks, closed an additional $10.5 million round of equity funding to support new international customer Ethernet deployments. . . . NuSil Technology (Carpinteria, CA) opened a technical support office in Penang, Malaysia to help its Asian customers with its Lightspan products for optoelectronics packaging. . . . OFS (Norcross, GA), a data, voice, wireless, and Internet service provider, received one of 49 supplier recognition awards from AT&T for its work in helping AT&T deliver outstanding service to its customers during the past year.