13 June 2003 Stockholm--Swedish start-up Future Instrument Fiber Optics AB has secured a volume order for several hundred splice machines.
The order has comes via the Korean distributor Yehyang Technology together with Shanghai J&R Communications Equipment Co, for splicer deliveries during 2003 and 2004.
FIFO says that the market for splice machines has shown a "dead-stop" for several years now. However the company has made a significant impact in selling this qunaitity of equipment, based on its new cost-effective units, which together represent a market value exceeding SEK 10 million (EUR 1.1 million/USD 1.3 million) in the first phase.
"I'm particularly proud that we have been able to secure this order while the market is at a stand-still," said FIFO's CEO Maria Janiec. "We have worked very hard to achieve this position, and our smart product concept has given us a direct way to meet the customers' requirements to a minimised cost.
"This has proven important as risk-money has been extremely scarce. And we have been lucky to have had access to business angles and valued customers."
Zhao Feng Ri, General Manager of Shanghai J&R Communications Equipment Co, added, "The optical installation market is growing. We regard the smart splicing concept from Future Instrument Fiber Optics as an important contributor to the rapid growth of the Chinese communication market."