Lumentum to sell certain Lithium Niobate based product lines to AFR
Lumentum Holdings Inc. and passive optical component supplier Advanced Fiber Resources (Zhuhai) Ltd. (AFR) say they have struck an agreement that will see Lumentum sell assets pertaining to certain of its Lithium Niobate based optical component product lines to AFR. The assets, developed and manufactured by Lumentum's site in San Donato, Italy, site, are part of the company’s previously discontinued Telecom and Datacom product lines (see “Lumentum to sell certain Oclaro Japan optical transceiver lines to Cambridge Industries Group” and "Lumentum closes datacom module business sale to CIG"). Terms of the proposed deal were not disclosed.
"This transaction is a good outcome for all stakeholders, as Lumentum's telecom transmission product strategy is now focused on Indium Phosphide photonic integrated circuit based components and modules and we planned to ramp down Lithium Niobate operations in San Donato," said Beck Mason, Lumentum's senior vice president and general manager, telecom transmission.
"With this acquisition, AFR is excited to expand its market opportunities and capabilities to include Lithium Niobate based products for the communications and sensing markets," said X.L. Wang, AFR's chairman and CEO. "We believe with our strengths in cost-effective high-volume manufacturing we are well positioned to address customer needs for Lithium Niobate products in our addressable markets."
The transaction is subject to certain customary closing conditions for a transaction of this type and is expected to close early in Lumentum's third quarter of fiscal year 2020.
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
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