May 25, 2004 Austin, TX -- 3M is announcing plans to discontinue the production and sale of its optical components and specialty fibers. The company intends to phase out its facility in West Haven, CT, where it produces optical components and
specialty fibers by July 31, 2004.
Because of significant market changes in the optical components industry, 3M will no longer make the following products:
• Metallized and lensed fibers
• Short fiber Bragg grating products
• 3M specialty fibers, including erbium-doped fiber (C- & L-band), polarization maintaining and polarizing fibers, and large core multimode (MM) laser delivery fibers.
Existing customers have been contacted about this change.
3M's participation in the optical fiber industry will continue through a number of other product areas, including products based on the company's proprietary GGP singlemode (SM) and MM high strength fiber. 3M fiber-optic products include the following:
• GGP SM and MM cable and patch cords
• Connectors (ST, FC and SC styles, both SM and MM)
• Cable assemblies (single and multi-fiber), fan-out assemblies, patch cords, and pigtails
• Splices (single and multi-fiber)
• Volition brand fiber premises data cabling systems and components
• Couplings, coupling plates and patch panels for ST, FC and SC SM and MM interconnects
• Splice cases, closures, terminals, and patch panels
• Fiber distribution and management systems
• Fiber backplane and daughter card couplings
3M continues to accept orders and respond to inquiries for samples or quotes on these products.