Around The Circuit
INDUSTRY NEWS
Anaren Microwave Inc. has acquired all of the outstanding capital stock of Amitron Inc. Amitron is a manufacturer of precision thick film ceramic components and circuits for the medical, telecommunications and defense electronics markets. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.
REMEC Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire CWH WEIHUA Shanghai Telecommunications Ltd. for a cash consideration to be paid over a four-year term, coincident with an employment contract with the firm's principal executive.
TRAK Communications Inc. merged TRAK Microwave Corp. and its sister subsidiary TRAK Microwave Ltd. Although the merger did not affect the manufacturing facility locations in Tampa, FL, and Dundee, Scotland, the merger has realigned the sales and engineering groups to provide a customer driven, technology focused unified approach to the global wireless, fiber-optic, satcom, space and defense markets.
Stanford Microdevices is changing its name to Sirenza Microdevices . The company is coordinating the change through all appropriate regulatory agencies, and the transition is expected to be complete by January 31, 2002. In related news, the company has been registered to ISO 9001-1994 by the Quality Management Institute of Canada.
Polar Instruments has opened a sales and service office in Seoul, South Korea. The move is in recognition of the strategic importance of the Korean market as a major producer of PCBs and home to some of the world's leading electronics manufacturers.
Anritsu Corp. has opened a technologically advanced facility devoted exclusively to research and development and manufacturing of optical components. The facility, located in Tanasawa, Japan, will allow the company to dramatically increase production of optical modules that satisfy the growing demand for high performance components designed into WDM and DWDM systems.
Palomar Technologies Inc. has opened a second facility in Vista, CA, in response to the company's growth and expansion. The new 37,500 square-foot facility houses the sales, marketing and service support departments, while the company's original headquarters in Vista will continue to be the headquarters for design, manufacturing, test, engineering and administration.
AMCOM Communications Inc. recently expanded its manufacturing facility located in Taiwan to double the plant capacity. This expansion provides low cost GaAs FET power semiconductor devices and MMICs. The additional capacity will also assure a high level of service to all customers as the company continues to grow.
Radio Frequency Investigation Ltd. (RFI) and Racal Instruments have agreed to embark upon a cooperation agreement that will be of significant benefit to the 3G industry. As part of the agreement, Racal is to supply the 3G (UMTS-FDD) 6401 terminal test system that RFI will use to launch its 3G services. RFI will validate Racal's protocol test cases and present results both on its Web site and in the relevant 3G terminal compliance forums.
TMD Technologies Ltd. (TMD) is finalizing an agreement with Prana R & D to significantly extend its range of instrumentation amplifiers serving the EMC testing, radar, EW, communications, medical, scientific and military markets.
TDK Semiconductor Corp. has partnered with Seiko Instruments USA to provide the first streaming socket technology-based Internet modem. The product combines a true single-chip embedded modem with the iChip TCP/IP/PPP hardware protocol stack, thus offering complete Internet connectivity.
Agilent Technologies Inc. and TYX Corp. announced that TYX has been certified as an Agilent Premier Solution Partner (PSP) in development of software and test program set tools for automatic test systems used in aerospace and defense applications.
SEMX Corp. has entered into an agreement with Electrovac to become the exclusive distributor of the company's hermetic, glass-to-metal-seal packages as well as its direct bond copper and aluminum silicon carbide substrates to the microelectronics industry in the US and Canada. The agreement provides for a close working relationship between the two companies.
Wavecom Inc., a subsidiary of Wavecom SA - France , named DCInextech as a new distributor of its GSM/SPRS modems in North America. Wavecom develops a complete line of wireless standard modules and modems for GSM and GPRS platforms.
The RF Components Division for Raytheon Co. has announced its four-inch MHEMT foundry process for microwave and millimeter-wave applications has transitioned into production.
Amplifier Research (AR) announced an extended TWT warranty on select T series amplifiers. Surpassing the industry-standard one-year warranty on traveling wave tubes, AR has increased the warranty within its 200T1G3A, 200T2G8A and 200T8G18A amplifiers to two years. Additionally, the company continues to provide a three-year warranty on other parts of the amplifiers such as the RF power supply and control circuitry.
Rosenberger is the first manufacturer of RF coaxial connectors to achieve ISO/TS 16949 certification established by DQS. ISO/TS 16949 certifies a premier quality management system that meets the needs of the international automotive industry.
Fluke Corp. announced accreditation of two Fluke calibration laboratories, one in the US and another in the UK. The Fluke Precision Measurement service facility and calibration laboratory in San Diego, CA, has received accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025-1999 and ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994 standards. The Fluke Precision Measurement's Norwich, Norfolk factory in the UK has recently been accredited to ISO/IEC 17025.
ANADIGICS Inc. has been awarded a patent for a newly designed GaAs multi-band amplifier. The patent, US Patent No. 6242986 entitled "Multiple-band amplifier," is the second to be granted to the company for this amplifier circuit.
Gowanda Electronics received an award for "Manufacturing Excellence" from the Western New York Technology Development Center (TDC). Gowanda was one of four companies honored by the TDC at its annual affiliates meeting.
FINANCIAL NEWS
ADC reports sales of $548 M for the third quarter ended July 31, compared to $892 M for the same period last year. Net loss was $40 M (5¢/diluted share) compared to a net income of $121 M (16¢/diluted share) for the third quarter of 2000.
American Technical Ceramics Corp. reports sales of $19.0 M for the third quarter ended June 30, compared to $21.4 M for the same period last year. Net income was $2.33 M (29¢/common share) compared to $3.38 M (44¢/common share) for the third quarter of 2000.
Ansoft Corp. reports sales of $11.2 M for the third quarter ended July 31, compared to $8.7 M for the same period last year. Net income was $916 K (7¢/diluted share) compared to $324 K (3¢/diluted share) for the third quarter of 2000.
DragonWave Inc. has finalized a $14 M (CDN) second round of financing. This round of funding includes participation from leading venture capital firms: Celtic House International, IG Investment Management Ltd., Venture Coaches, VentureLink Capital Corp. and EDB Ventures Pte Ltd. This round of financing brings the total capital raised to $26 M (CDN).
Mitsubishi Corp. has made a $15 M equity investment in Vitex Systems Inc. Vitex, a spinoff of Battelle, is developing a critical component that it believes will enable the next generation of commercial flat panel displays.
CONTRACTS
EADS Defence Systems and Electronics Ltd. (EADS UK) has been awarded a contract to supply the external communication system of the Royal Navy's new "Astute" class nuclear submarines. Additionally, EADS UK as a prime contractor will modernize the British Force's communications infrastructure on the Falkland Islands. Both contracts together have a volume of approximately EUR 50 million.
AR/Kalmus has signed a contract to supply USSOCOM with 27 of its model M512 RF power amplifiers. The amplifiers are valued at $482 K.
Talley Communications Corp. signed a new contract with Andrew Corp. The agreement designates Talley as distributor in the western US for Andrew wireless infrastructure, terrestrial microwave and broadband products.
IFR Systems Inc. has won a three-year contract from British Telecommunications (BT) to supply IFR2843 digital communication analyzers for use as personal issue testers by BT field engineers involved in network installation, support and maintenance. The award is in addition to an existing contract, originally won by IFR in 1996, to supply earlier versions of field testers, known internally at BT as Tester 455s.
Aethercomm Inc. has been selected by Northrop-Grumman Corp. to design, develop and manufacture the high power solid-state driver amplifier (SSPA) for Project Wedgetail, an airborne warning and control system for Australia. Boeing and Northrup-Grumman are jointly developing the Wedgetail system.
Merrimac Industries Inc. will provide a variety of products, such as power dividers, couplers and vector modulators for the Space Based Infrared System High Constellation to the program's prime contractor Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. Lockheed Martin has released orders for the contract, initially valued at $600 K.
PERSONNEL
Axcera announced the appointment of two veteran executives to lead the new company. David Neff will serve and president and CEO, while Ken Foutz will serve as senior VP and chief operating officer of Axcera. Together, they have more than 55 years of experience in the broadcast, MMDS and broadband wireless markets.
Applied Wave Research Inc. (AWR) promoted James Spoto to president and chief executive officer. Joseph Pekarek , the former AWR president, will assume a new role as the company's chief technology officer. Prior to joining AWR, Spoto was at Conexant Systems where he was the senior VP of Platform Technologies since 1997.
Daniel Artusi has accepted the position of chief operation officer with Silicon Labs. Previously, Artusi served as corporate VP and general manager of the networking and computing systems group at Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector.
AMCOM Communications Inc. has appointed Arthur E. Butts VP of marketing and sales for North America and Europe. Butts joins the company with an extensive background in both the military and telecommunications markets. In related news, the company named Patricia Yang VP, marketing and sales for the Asian Pacific market. She was previously the director of sales and has contributed to the overall growth of the corporation.
Liam Griffin has joined Alpha Industries as VP of sales and marketing. Griffin comes to Alpha from Vectron International, a Dover company, where he was VP, worldwide sales.
Wulf-Dietrich Ortel has been appointed executive VP of international sales and service division at Rohde & Schwarz. In this position, Ortel is responsible for all the company's representatives, subsidiaries and service centers.
Giga-tronics Inc. has hired John R. Regazzi as VP of engineering for its Instruments Division. Regazzi comes to the company following more than two decades at Agilent.
Pascall Electronics named David Phyall to the recently created position of wireless communications director, in charge of the company's satellite communications and RF products. Most recently, Phyall was managing and operations director of Basys Technology Ltd.
Anritsu appointed Paul Hunter general manager of its European Measurement Division (EMD). Hunter has previously worked for companies such as Nortel Networks, Marconi, Mobile Systems International and Tertio.
Radio Frequency Investigation (RFI) appointed Sharon Slattery as its new sales manager for North America. Sharon has extensive experience within the telecommunications industry including 10 years with Nortel Networks.
Schaffner has appointed Muhamed Nazarudin as product manager for its range of harmonics and flicker test systems. Nazarudin joins the company from Voltech Instruments, where he was applications engineer for two years.
Los Alamos National Laboratory director John Browne selected six Los Alamos staff members as Laboratory fellows, the Laboratory's highest scientific honor. The honor is made yearly to technical staff members who have sustained a high level of excellence in programs important to the Laboratory's mission, made important scientific discoveries that lead to widespread use, or been recognized as leaders in their fields both within scientific discoveries and outside of the Laboratory.
NEW MARKET ENTRY
Modelithics Inc. , a new company focusing on precision RF and microwave characterization and measurement-based computer-aided engineering (CAE) models, began operations on August 1. Over 1200 substrate-dependent models for passive surface-mount components are available for licensing, and contracts are underway for custom active and passive device characterization and modeling services.
di/dt Inc. , Carlsbad, CA, designs and manufactures DC/DC converter modules that deliver the high current in a small size. These converters are designed for the high temperature and low airflow environments common to telecommunications, wireless, data communications and server applications.
WEB SITES
LPKF Laser & Electronics offers a wide variety of rapid PCB prototyping, in-house systems and tools from its Web site, www.lpkfusa.com. These products give companies and individuals the ability to produce and market new technology in a fast and effective manner.
AMCOM Communications Inc. has completed its new Web site, www.amcomusa.com, which includes technical details on all new products which have been introduced this year and new graphics to introduce expanded sales coverage.
Z-Communications Inc. released its new and improved Web site, which offers users and customers a highly functional navigation tool. The site, www.zcomm.com, is equipped with a new and improved search facility. Any and all information is merely a click away, providing users with an enhanced interactive capability that alleviates cumbersome processes that normally hinder the ability to seek out information and contact individuals.
TestMart announced that the e-commerce marketplace at www.navicpmart.com is now live and electronically processing general purpose electronic test equipment (GPETE) orders for the Department of Defense Naval Inventory Control Point. Authorized buyers are now able to purchase from a catalog of high demand products from more than 30 key test and measurement suppliers.
REP APPOINTMENTS
TMD Technologies Limited (TMD) has recently added three new agents to its worldwide network. AFI , based in New York, has been appointed the company's US distributor of commercial microwave amplifiers. Comtest , based in Turin, Italy, will cover commercial amplifier sales in Italy and Delta Trade & Consultancy , with offices in Ankara and Istanbul, will handle all of TMD's new military business in Turkey.
AMCOM Communications Inc. , Clarksburg, MD, has appointed Matrix Sales Inc. , Chelmsford, MA, to be its exclusive representative for the New England area.
Elcom Technologies Inc. has announced several new representatives as a result of increased demand for RF/microwave frequency sources and customized integrated modules. The extended representation includes SMA Engineering , Campbell, CA, R.J. Sickles Associates , Lexington, MA, and EG Holmes & Associates Inc. , Apex, NC.