Business briefs

29 Apr 2005

Including news from Thales Laser Diodes, Konarka, Fabrinet, IPG Laser and more.

•  Fabrinet is to acquire JDS Uniphase operations in Fuzhou, China. The manufacturing services provider will take on all assets and operations related to the Fuzhou plant including R&D and the manufacture of products such as crystals and precision optics. The acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of June 2005.

•  Thales Laser Diodes (TLD) has been awarded a EURO 2 million ($2.6 million) contract by the European Space Agency. TLD will supply laser diode stacks for use in the agency's ADM-AEOLUS program, which will study the circulation of wind energy on Earth and phenomena such as El Niño.

•  Konarka, a developer of flexible, polymer-based solar cells, has opened its European headquarters in Germany. The facility, which includes R&D laboratories, is located in the Energy Technology Center, Nuremberg.

•  IPG Laser of Germany has installed a 17 kW fiber laser at the Test Center for Aluminium Alloy Welding at BIAS in Bremen, Germany. Delivered through a 30 m long, 200 µm core fiber, the laser will be used for high-speed welding of different materials in pipeline, aerospace, transportation, shipbuilding and automotive applications.

•  Advanced Technology Coatings (ATC) and Oxley Developments, both of the UK, are teaming up to develop laser protection coatings. The venture is focusing on protective coatings for use in eye-ware and instrumentation products for defense and military markets.

•  The global market for semiconductor optoelectronic components will grow by an annual average growth rate of 20% to over $22.3 million by 2008, according to a report just published by Reed Electronics Research, UK. The report, entitled "Strategic study of the worldwide semiconductor optoelectronic component industry to 2008", covers components such as lasers, LEDs, detectors, image sensors and solar cells.

•  Laser Components of the US, a maker of silicon avalanche photodiodes, has moved into its new 65000 square feet facility in the Arizona State University Research Park. The firm sees the move as important step to becoming a significant player in the electro-optical sensors market.

•  Spectra Couleur of Germany, a supplier of visible up-conversion fiber laser systems, has appointed Market Tech as its exclusive distributor in North America. Market Tech will distribute all of Spectra's laser products.

•  Tektronix, US, has won a contract to supply the US Air Force with digital phosphor oscilloscopes. The contract is for one year followed by four option years, and has a total value of approximately $7.5 million.