JDSU opens new optical R&D center in Shenzhen

JDSU Corp. (NASDAQ:JDSU;TSX:JDU) has opened a new development center in Shenzhen, China, to strengthen its research work around advanced test and measurement and optical communications products. A ceremony took place Tuesday to mark the official opening of the facility in the Shenzhen High-Tech Industrial Park.

JDSU established its R&D presence in Shenzhen in 2000. Its move to the new 6,000-square-meter facility in Shenzhen represents a commitment of more than RMB 20 million ($3.14 million). The center currently employs a staff of more than 250 employees, with capacity to expand to over 400 employees. The location is at the heart of the local telecom ecosystem and convenient to the talented Shenzhen technology workforce.

"The new Shenzhen site demonstrates JDSU's commitment to China and other high-growth markets in the Asia-Pacific region," said David Heard, president of JDSU's communications test and measurement business segment. "The Shenzhen center, together with its other research facilities worldwide, position JDSU close to its customers for effective collaboration that drives the innovation needed for the development and deployment of next-generation broadband networks."

JDSU also says that the new Shenzhen facility will be instrumental in developing the building blocks for what the company terms “self-aware networks” – a suite of products to enable a new architecture for reconfigurable optical networks (see "JDSU targets 2012 for ‘Self Aware Networks’ product suite"). JDSU plans to roll out these products in 2012.

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