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Furthermore, SIGMA-LINKS, Inc., a company jointly established in 2001 for the development, manufacturing, and sales of small-form-factor optical transceivers, will enhance its business by taking over Oki's optical interface module business on April 1, 2003. The capital of SIGMA-LINKS is also planned to increase by the end of April, in which Fujikura will own the majority. "The extended partnership between Oki and Fujikura demonstrates that the two companies have maintained a successful relationship. This was made possible by the continuing joint efforts of the two companies. We believe the combined strengths of our companies will greatly contribute to the expansion of the growing broadband optical market," said Katsumasa Shinozuka, President and CEO of Oki Electric. "This is an important development for Fujikura and Oki. Through the enhanced partnership, both companies will remain committed to providing broadband optical systems and solutions that meet customers' various requirements," said Akira Tsujikawa, President of Fujikura. Through their close partnership, Oki and Fujikura intend to contribute to the growing demand for broadband networks. Oki boasts expertise in key technologies for the broadband era, including optical access, wavelength division multiplexing, ultra high-speed optical modulation and high-speed LSI technologies. Fujikura is strong in optical fiber and passive optical components technologies and optical access technology. Oki and Fujikura will expand their strengths through the extended collaboration, in order to accelerate the development of advanced optical communications systems. The new joint company, OF Networks, will develop, manufacture and market broadband access equipment, including a gigabit passive optical network (PON), gigabit Media Converter, VDSL equipment, and access routers. The company will mainly focus on the development of optical products for the next-generation broadband market, and will utilize the external EMS and manufacturing companies of Oki and Fujikura. Its products will be provided to the Japanese and worldwide markets through the marketing, sales, and SE capabilities of Oki Electric and Fujikura. Both companies will also send optical access engineers to OF Networks. The new company will be 51% owned by Oki and 49% owned by Fujikura, and will be capitalized at 300 million yen. Oki will transfer its optical interface module business, including 10-Gbit/s optical transponders, optical transmitters and receivers for SDH (synchronous digital hierarchy) and WDM (wavelength division multiplexer), and optical access PON modules, to SIGMA-LINKS, a joint venture established in 2001 by Oki and Fujikura. SIGMA-LINKS has been providing small-form-factor optical transceivers featuring speeds of more than 1-Gbit/s to the telecommunications and data communications markets. Through this business transfer, SIGMA-LINKS will be able to broaden its product line-up to form a comprehensive optical access business. Both Oki and Fujikura will dispatch engineers to SIGMA-LINKS for design and development of the optical interface module, and Fujikura will provide manufacturing and marketing capabilities for a certain period of time. By broadening and integrating various optical technologies from Oki and Fujikura, SIGMA-LINKS intends to serve as a comprehensive provider of optical components to telecom carriers worldwide. Oki and Fujikura have also agreed to increase the capital of SIGMA-LINKS by the end of April 2003. With this capital increase, the company, which is equally possessed by two companies, will change to 51% by Fujikura and 49% by Oki. Oki and Fujikura will concentrate their engineering resources on the development of broadband optical access equipment for OF Networks and on the development of an optical interface module for SIGMA-LINKS. Both companies expect that the enhanced collaboration between the four companies will spur development of nextgeneration strategic products and reduces development time, which will lead to improved competitiveness of the optical access systems and optical components they provide. About OF Networks Company Name: OF Networks, Co., Ltd. About SIGMA-LINKS (as of April 1, 2003) President: Okosu Watanabe About Fujikura Ltd. Fujikura Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) is one of Japan's foremost manufactures of electric wire and cables. Since its establishment in 1885, the Company has introduced technologies and products that meet the highest global standards. Our extensive product lineup and expertise are the culmination of more than a century in business, combined with a positive, energetic corporate attitude. In addition to electric wire and cables, today the Company also offers a growing range of products for the information and communications industries, notably optical fibers and fiber-optic components, and such electronic materials and components as electronic wires, flexible printed circuits and so on. Visit Fujikura's web site at: About Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. Founded more than a century ago in 1881, Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. is Japan's first telecommunications manufacturer, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Oki Electric provides customers with top-quality products, technologies and solutions for telecommunications systems, information systems and electronic devices through its corporate vision, "Oki, Network Solutions for a Global Society." Notes: Names of companies and products are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. Press Contacts: Fujikura Ltd. Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. For more information about Oki Optical Components Products, please contact: Yudhi Trisno |
