ATS and EXFO Establish Strategic Alliance

ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. and EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc. have signed a strategic alliance agreement. The agreement facilitates integration of EXFO's automated manufacturing subsystems and test systems into ATS' turnkey custom and standard automation solutions to better meet the specific needs of optical component and systems manufacturers.

EXFO has assembled key building blocks in the automated optical component manufacturing process such as optical test stations, nanorobot photonics alignment systems, and ultraviolet and infrared light-based curing technologies. ATS has developed expertise in automation, integration, optical path engineering, precision machine building, control software, as well as test and measurement systems.

The combined solutions will allow optical component and systems manufacturers to significantly increase yields, reduce costs, improve productivity and lessen human intervention on the production floor.

"This strategic alliance is a natural fit for both companies," said Klaus Woerner, President and CEO of ATS. "EXFO's core competencies in optical testing, precision alignment and light-based curing combined with our in-depth knowledge of automation will produce turnkey automated solutions based on ATS' standard platforms adapted to the unique requirements of our manufacturing clients."

"This agreement will greatly benefit our optical component manufacturing customers seeking to automate their production processes by aligning two leaders respectively in photonics and automation," said Germain Lamonde, Chairman, President and CEO of EXFO. "By combining our solutions, we enable customers to make a smooth transition to automated component manufacturing."

Under terms of the strategic alliance, ATS and EXFO will jointly generate business leads, establish training programs for end-users, share marketing strategies and forecasts, as well as validate product development initiatives. The agreement is non-exclusive, but it should lead to close co-operation on a range of opportunities, particularly as applied to fiber optics.

For further information about ATS, go to www.atsautomation.com.