Global broadband access and media distribution technology specialist ATX Networks announced that it has entered an agreement with Mara Technologies, a subsidiary of the Invotek Group, to establish a U.S.-based factory to build the ATX GigaXtend HFC amplifiers and future ATX products.
The new Michigan-based facility, scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2023, adds incremental, state of the art manufacturing capacity for ATX to meet increasing demands for cable plant upgrades, while shortening delivery times for products in the North American market with a new manufacturing location, and alleviating supply chain challenges.
The new facility will augment what ATX said has been "a strong contract manufacturing arrangement in Asia," and gives the company capability to massively scale and support an expected increase in future product introductions.
The new factory, which will be operated by Invotek Group, a manufacturing facilities provider based in Ontario, Canada, will initially produce 1.2GHz amplifiers. ATX anticipates that the new facility will also handle the production of the company’s family of 1.8GHz amplifiers, which is scheduled for commercial availability in 2023.
“As we all learned over the past few years, supply chain diversification is critical for both scale and risk mitigation,” commented Kevin Rossi, general manager of Access Networks at ATX. “Our customers have been asking us to diversify to ensure their mission-critical networking needs can be met. We’re seeing historic demand for HFC amplifiers, and with the evolution to 1.8GHz amplifiers on the near horizon, having an ability to flex and scale will be crucial to our success.”
ATX is a leading provider of HFC amplifiers, as well as 2GHz-capable taps and passives for cable operators’ outside plants. The company notes it became the only authorized supplier of legacy GainMaker amplifiers after licensing the technology from Cisco in 2020. ATX introduced the GainMaker-compatible GigaXtend GMC family of 1.2GHz line extenders and systems amplifiers later that year. The company notes that all of its GigaXtend 1.2GHz amplifiers, as well as most of the installed base of GainMaker amps, are DOCSIS 4.0-ready and seamlessly upgradeable to GigaXtend 1.8GHz amplifiers.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be working on this ambitious project with ATX, which will be the anchor tenant of our new U.S.A.-based facility,” said Peter Schmied, president and COO of the Invotek Group of companies. “By all indications, the demand for next-generation HFC amplifiers will be staggering over the next few years and we are proud to be part of ATX’s efforts to get this equipment into the hands of cable operators as quickly, reliably and cost-efficiently as possible.”
ATX will be showcasing its portfolio of 1.2GHz and 1.8GHz HFC amplifiers at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2022 (Sept. 19-22) in Philadelphia. The ATX booth #9019 will also feature demonstrations of the company’s 2GHz taps and passives, 10G digital optical transport equipment, and media distribution solutions.