Business briefs

Danish firms Ionas and Cisilias are to merge. The new company, NKT Integration, will employ 70 people and exploit Ionas' optical foundry service and Cisilias' erbium-doped waveguide amplifier technology. NKT Integration will develop planar optical circuits that feature active and passive functions. The company will be jointly led by Jacob Philipsen of Cisilias and Lars Rønn of Ionas.

Lambda Physik has won a EURO 1.7 million order from Elotherm of Germany for excimer lasers to treat engine cylinder surfaces. The treatment, which uses the Lambda Steel 1000 laser, decreases wear and tear of cylinder sleeves and piston rings. Lambda Physik says that this reduces oil consumption by up to 75%.

Exfo, the Canadian supplier of test equipment for optical communications, has reported sales of USD 16.3 million and a net loss of USD 263.8 million for three months ended 31 May 2002. Revenue from sales grew 12% over the previous quarter but was substantially down from the USD 45.8m achieved during the same period last year.

Indigo Systems, a provider of high-performance infrared cameras based in California, has received USD 17.6 million in a financing from the Carlyle Group. Indigo is developing tiny low-cost cameras for applications in firefighting, industrial monitoring, automotive safety and medical imaging.

Telops, a Canadian developer of optoelectronics for telecoms, defense and aerospace applications, has teamed up with WKK Distribution Ltd of Hong Kong. WKK will distribute Telops' products in mainland China, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.