Business briefs

18 Jul 2003

Including news from Corning, JDS Uniphase, Strategies Unlimited, Lumileds and more.

•  Corning of the US and Artificial Sensing Instruments (ASI) of Switzerland have filed a patent infringement action against SRU Biosystems, US. The lawsuit relates to a US patent detailing gratings-based optical biosensors and their use in detecting chemical, biochemical and biological substances. “Corning and ASI view this legal action as an important step towards protecting our long-term investment in this field,” said R. Pierce Baker, senior vice president of Corning Life Sciences.

•  JDS Uniphase has bought the optical communications business of Ditech Communications, US, for USD 1.6 million in cash. JDS will make additional cash payments of up to USD 4.9 million depending on the revenue that the newly acquired business makes through June 30, 2005. Ditech says it will now concentrate on its key market, making equipment for voice networks.

•  US-based market analyst Strategies Unlimited has forecast that the high-brightness LED (HB LED) market will grow from 2002’s value of USD 1.84 billion to USD 4.7 billion by 2007. Full details of this forecast are now available in the company’s “High-brightness LED market review and forecast – 2003” report.

•  Just as Strategies Unlimited released this prediction, LED maker Lumileds, US, reported that sales through its exclusive distributor, Future Electronics, have increased 400% year-on-year.

•  Planar Systems, a US maker of flat-panel displays, has reported record quarterly sales of USD 62.9 million for its recently completed third quarter. This is an increase of 5% compared with the previous quarter and 8% year-on-year. The company says that its commercial business, which saw sales up 27% on the previous quarter, continues to fuel this growth and out-perform the medical and industrial segments of the company.

•  Sensors Unlimited, a US maker of imaging products based on indium-gallium-arsenide, has won a USD 890 000 contract from the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA). Under the terms of the nine-month contract, the company will develop what is said to be the industry’s first all-solid-state night vision 640 x 512 camera operating at room temperature, which will be sensitive from 0.9 to 1.7 microns.

•  BFi OPTiLAS is now the European distributor of Photonic Products’ portfolio. UK-based Photonic Products’ offerings include thermoelectrically cooled laser diode modules, pigtailed laser diodes and fiber assemblies.