LU's connection to Horizon Photonics:
lucent.com
Lucent invests in Horizon Photonics to promote the automated manufacture and increased supply of passive optical components
FOR RELEASE TUESDAY AUGUST 31, 1999
ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU) Microelectronics Group today announced it has taken an equity position in privately held Horizon Photonics, Inc., an emerging leader in the automated manufacture of passive optical components. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed.
The investment gives Lucent access to technologies and products that leverage Horizon's low-cost automated manufacturing processes. It also provides Lucent a timely and adequate supply of passive components for incorporation into leading-edge optoelectronic components used in high-bandwidth optical networking systems.
Passive components are non-powered devices such as lenses, isolators, micro-collimators, and optical attenuators, which work with active, or powered, devices such as lasers and laser-light modulators, to optimize the quality of an optical signal. In the fast-growing passive components industry, devices are typically assembled manually, and as a result, suppliers have been hard-pressed to meet the rapidly increasing demand for these devices in optoelectronic components and subsystems. Horizon Photonics boasts one of the first automated manufacturing processes of these components in the industry.
Founded in July, 1997, Horizon has developed a proprietary micro-fixture design that allows micro-optics to be mounted in small transferable fixtures with flexibility for further downstream processing. The company has applied its technology to develop a free-space isolator product for the general market and has other products in various stages of development including a micro-collimator and related family of products.
"By investing in Horizon Photonics, Lucent demonstrates its support of manufacturing techniques that will lead to higher volume, higher quality and lower cost production of passives," said Ed Coringrato, senior manager, planning and business development for Lucent's optoelectronics components business. "This investment assures us an adequate supply of the passives we need to meet the increasing demand for optoelectronic components and subsystems."
"The philosophical similarities we share with respect to design and manufacturing have made our relationship with Lucent very satisfying and we are pleased to see that relationship develop to this next level," said Bob Cullen, President and co-founder of Horizon. "This investment solidifies our plans for expansion of staff and facility to meet the demands of this rapid growth industry."
The arrangement with Horizon complements Lucent's industry leadership in highly automated processes for optical components and subsystem manufacture. Last year, Lucent completed a multi-million-dollar expansion of its automated laser packaging facility in Breinigsville, Pa., and installed additional automated production and testing equipment to its manufacturing process. That move cut manufacturing lead times in half while increasing overall production output up to three times the previous level. The company is also undertaking an additional $30-million expansion of its facilities that will again increase its production capability by the first quarter of 2000.
Horizon Photonics, Inc. specializes in the application of automated technologies, proprietary designs, and the volume manufacture of passive optical components for the telecom, datacom, and sensors industries. Horizon designs and manufactures products for large OEM customers and the general commercial market. Based in Walnut, Calif., Horizon is currently expanding its facilities and manufacturing capacity to support the demands of an exploding market. For additional information, please contact Horizon directly or visit its Web site at horizonphotonics.com.
Lucent's Microelectronics Group is the world's leading supplier of optoelectronic components for the fiber-optic communications market. It offers the industry a broad portfolio of optoelectronic components including lasers, modulators, photodetectors, transceivers, transponders, passive components and fiber amplifiers in the telecommunications, CATV, data communications, and undersea markets.
Lucent's Microelectronics Group designs and manufactures integrated circuits and optoelectronic components for the computer and communications industries. More information about the Microelectronics Group is available from its Web site at www.lucent.com/micro.
Lucent Technologies designs, builds and delivers a wide range of public and private networks, communications systems and software, data networking systems, business telephone systems and microelectronics components. Bell Laboratories is the research and development arm for the company. For more information on Lucent Technologies, headquartered in Murray Hill, N.J., USA, visit its Web site at www.lucent.com.
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