9 January 2014

Finisar to acquire Berlin-based u2t Photonics

Fiber-optic communications component and subsystem maker Finisar Corp of Sunnyvale, CA, USA has agreed to acquire u2t Photonics AG of Berlin, Germany for about $20m in cash (subject to certain adjustments). Finisar will also assume net debt of about $7m. The transaction is expected to close during January, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Finisar will hence add u2t’s indium phosphide (InP)-based 100G high-speed receivers and photodetectors to its existing portfolio of high-speed optics technologies. The acquisition will also consolidate Finisar’s previously announced partnership with u2t on InP-based IQ Mach-Zehnder modulators for 100G coherent applications.

When combined with Finisar’s narrow-linewidth tunable lasers, these receiver, photodiode and modulator technologies and products will provide a full suite of optical components and enable Finisar to offer vertically integrated modules for the 100G coherent metro and long-haul markets, the firm says. u2t’s total revenue was about $33m in 2013.

“During our collaboration to acquire the assets of [Berlin-based] COGO Optronics GmbH and develop the InP modulator technology from the Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institute (HHI), we realized that Finisar’s technical strength, ability to cost-effectively commercialize technology, and global access to customers and markets would combine extremely well with our industry-leading technology and design capabilities,” says ut2’s CEO & co-founder Andreas Umbach. “The acquisition provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity for our employees and innovative technologies to make a greater impact on the optical communication markets,” he adds.

“Finisar is very excited about the near-term applications for the u2t technology and products for the 100G coherent telecom markets,” says John Clark, Finisar’s executive VP for technology and global R&D. “We are even more excited about the potential to use this technology to help drive data rates higher than 100Gb/s and form factors smaller than the CFP2 module and enabling new market applications in both telecom and datacom,” he adds.

See related items:

Finisar proposes $200m offering of convertible senior notes

Finisar reports fifth quarter of revenue growth to record $290.7m

Finisar and u2t partner to acquire exclusive access to HHI’s 100G coherent modulator technology

Tags: Finisar u2t

Visit: www.finisar.com

Visit: www.u2t.de/en