INDUSTRY NEWS
Crane Co. , parent company of Crane Aerospace and Electronics, announced that it has completed its acquisition of Signal Technology Corp. Under the terms of the merger agreement among Crane Co., STC Merger Co. and Signal Technology Corp., STC Merger Co., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Crane Co., commenced an all-cash tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Signal common stock at a price of $13.25 per share.
StratEdge announced that an agreement has been reached for a management buyout of the corporation. All key operations people will be retained at corporate headquarters in San Diego, CA as well as the Taunton, MA manufacturing plant. All products, product development and deliveries are unaffected by the change.
Cascade Microtech Inc. announced that it has licensed essential RF measurement technology to Tokyo Seimitsu Co. Ltd . The technology transfer will lead to faster and more accurate RF testing of advanced semiconductor devices during production, including high speed telecommunications and wireless devices.
Applied Wave Research Inc. announced that REMEC Inc. has signed a global licensing agreement to deploy AWR's Microwave Office™ and Visual System Simulator™ EDA software suites on a worldwide basis. The adoption of AWR EDA software supports REMEC's continuous efforts of managing the substantial challenges of today's wireless design technology. Under the terms of this agreement, REMEC will be deploying AWR software to the defense and space and commercial business groups, which together comprise more than 15 facilities located across North America, Europe and Asia. AWR technology will be used for a full range of RF products for wireless network base stations and integrated RF solutions, including point-to-point radios, LMDS and MMDS point-to-point and point-to-multipoint wireless access systems, satellite ground terminals and RF power amplifiers.
e2v technologies announced that a new distribution contract has been signed with Italian company, CELTE S.r.l. The new partnership has been formed to enhance the company's sales network in southern Europe.
Richardson Electronics announced that it has expanded its distribution agreement with HUBER + SUHNER . As a result, Richardson now represents the first distributor authorized to sell HUBER + SUHNER products worldwide. Under the terms of the agreement, Richardson will operate as a worldwide distributor for HUBER + SUHNER's complete line of RF interconnect, coaxial cable and fiber optics products used in cellular/mobile communication, as well as Internet/broadband systems with radio frequency, wireless and fiber optic applications.
Agilent Technologies Inc. and Anite Telecoms announced an agreement to jointly develop and promote RF protocol and network emulation test solutions to wireless device manufacturers and network operators worldwide. The combined Agilent and Anite solutions are expected to reduce wireless device development time and overall design costs. In related news, Agilent announced that it has been selected by Mini-Circuits to provide a multi-year package of RF and microwave electronic design automation software and global support for the company's engineering and production facilities located around the world. The Agilent Advanced Design System EDA software helps streamline design processes and improves productivity of RF, IF and microwave signal processing component development for commercial, industrial and military applications.
Maury Microwave Corp. announced that it has signed an agreement with Inter-Continental Microwave (ICM) to jointly promote and sell the ICM line of test fixture solutions. Maury tuners can be incorporated with ICM fixtures and are available on a precision sliding rail. This allows the tuners to be separated for fixture access, and then reconnected with precision repeatable, controlled movement, saving time and eliminating potential connector misalignment adding to measurement accuracy.
REMEC Inc. announced that it has signed an OEM agreement with ZTE Ltd. of Shenzhen, China to supply its ExcelAir® 70 fixed wireless access system. ZTE currently supplies telecommunications equipment to all of the Chinese telecom operators and to many others worldwide, and has contracts in place with Chinese operators to deploy FWA systems during 2003. The agreement between REMEC and ZTE will complete ZTE's FWA product line and enable it to support operators by providing improved fixed wireless services in a cost-effective and timely manner.
SnapTrack® Inc. , a wholly owned subsidiary of QUALCOMM Inc. and pioneer of Assisted GPS™ location systems, and Motorola (China) Electronics Ltd. , a wholly owned subsidiary of Motorola Inc., a supplier of wireless communications products, announced an agreement to provide CDMA carrier China Unicom with SnapTrack's high performance SnapSmart™ assisted global positioning system (A-GPS) location server platforms. SnapTrack's position location technology enhances QUALCOMM's embedded A-GPS solutions, including the gpsOne™ hybrid A-GPS solution supported in QUALCOMM's Mobile Station Modem family of wireless modems. Under the terms of the agreement, Motorola (China) Electronics will integrate SnapTrack's SnapSmart location server software into its mobile communications system positioning server, which will then be provided to China Unicom as a total solution service application.
Laird Technologies announced that its facility in Tianjin, China is now fully operational and producing the company's electrically conductive elastomers product line. This 34,000 square foot facility was built in 2002, and production commenced later that same year. The facility includes a sales office, customer service, production, engineering and R&D functions. The facility will produce the electrically conductive elastomer product line initially, and production of additional lines will follow.
Sarantel , a UK miniature antenna manufacturer, has announced the formation of a US subsidiary, Sarantel Inc. The company's president will be Brad Hurte, who was involved in Sarantel's innovative antenna technology during his time at Symmetricom, where it was originally developed. Sarantel's antennas, which are based on high dielectric ceramics, bring a number of advantages to mobile handsets and other portable wireless devices such as GPS receivers, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth products.
Sonnet Software Inc. , a provider of high frequency electromagnetic software for electronic design automation, announced the relocation and expansion of the company's North American and corporate headquarters within the Syracuse, NY area. The new offices are located at 100 Elwood Davis Road in North Syracuse, NY, and will retain all software development, North American support and North American sales activities.
Phase One Microwave Inc. has moved to a new manufacturing and office facility. The new address is 4095 Del Mar Avenue, Suite 10, Rocklin, CA 95677 (916) 624-1445, fax (916) 624-0284 or e-mail: mikeg@phase1mw.com.
Aeroflex Inc. announced that it has launched a new corporate brand identity. The company operates in two product-focused groups, the Aeroflex Test Solutions Group and the Aeroflex Microelectronic Solutions Group, consisting of eight divisions. Many of the divisions were once independent companies that retained their names after being acquired by Aeroflex. Now all divisions are united under a single, distinctive Aeroflex brand. Each division will be identified by its city location.
Etenna Corp. announced its EA2400 AccuWave™ antenna will be integrated into several of HP's lines of notebook PCs to support Bluetooth "wireless cable" operations. The first commercial HP product to contain Etenna's AccuWave antenna within its Bluetooth module will be the HP Compaq Business Notebook nc4000. The HP Compaq nc4000 notebook PC's integrated Bluetooth "wireless cable" module supports increased mobility by enabling consumers to connect to items such as printers without using wired cables.
Semflex Inc. , a manufacturer of coaxial cable for the telecommunications, mil/aero and test instrumentation markets, announced that the company has been certified to the latest ISO9001:2000 standard through Det Norske Veritas (DNV).
CONTRACTS
BAE SYSTEMS has been selected by The Boeing Co. to provide the AN/ALQ-196 Low Band Jammer for the US Air Force's Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The value of the contract could reach $80 M over the next five years. BAE SYSTEMS Information and Electronic Warfare Systems, headquartered in Nashua, NH, will work with the prime contractor, Boeing, Fort Walton Beach, FL, to integrate the ALQ-196 Low Band Jammer onboard AFSOC's MC-130H Talon II and AC-130U gunship aircraft.
Merrimac Industries Inc. announced that it has received orders totaling $2.1 M from Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems . Merrimac is to provide a variety of signal processing products to be used in Raytheon's X-band Radar (XBR) program. XBR is a high powered, phased-array radar designed to meet near-term ballistic missile threats from rogue states. The XBR, a key element in the Missile Defense Agency's ground-based midcourse defense system, is a large, phased-array fire control sensor, featuring precision discrimination and interceptor support.
Interstate Electronics Corp. , a wholly owned subsidiary of L-3 Communications Corp., announced it has been awarded a contract with the Office of Naval Research for scalable multi-element space-time-adaptive-processing-based adaptive array development. The three-year program will consist of development and testing of a high performance GPS anti-jam capability based on STAP technology.
Lamina Ceramics Inc. has been awarded a contract from Rockwell Scientific to develop a package for Rockwell Scientific's RDA012M4 12 bit 1.3 GS/4:1 MUXDAC. The package will be developed using Lamina's low temperature co-fired ceramic on metal, a proprietary multi-layer technology that reduces product size, lowers costs, and improves electrical and thermal performance.
Palomar Technologies announced that Coviant , a global provider of optical manufacturing services, has selected Palomar's automated assembly systems for precision placement and bonding of optical components. Coviant designs, develops, manufactures, and tests optoelectronics components and sub-assemblies for the telecommunications, defense, aerospace, medical and industrial markets.
NEW MARKET ENTRY
Link Microtek has entered the wireless broadband market with a portfolio of products designed to cover both indoor and outdoor IEEE 802.11b applications. Link Microtek has many years' experience in the design and implementation of RF and microwave communication systems, coupled with extensive in-house knowledge of networking, software and security issues.
Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc. announced its new strategy for high power microwave devices. Toshiba plans to focus on high power solutions for the rapidly growing satellite communications infrastructure market and the steadily growing terrestrial communications infrastructure market.
PERSONNEL
Applied Wave Research Inc. (AWR™) announced the appointment of James E. Solomon to the company's board of directors. Solomon is best known for his innovative contributions to design tool technology, specifically in the area of analog and mixed-signal design, to benefit electronic systems and integrated circuit designers.
Northrop Grumman Corp. has named George H. Black president of Interconnect Technologies, a unit of Northrop Grumman's component technologies sector. Black joined the company in 1991 as vice president of international operations, with responsibility for all operations outside North America. Previously, he was with Teradyne Inc. in international sales and marketing.
Endwave Corp. announced the appointment of four vice presidents to the senior manage-ment team. The appointments include Art Arrington as vice president of manufacturing, Mark Hebeisen as vice president of marketing, Steve Layton as vice president of sales and Dan Teuthorn as vice president of engineering. Arrington serves as vice president, worldwide manufacturing operations and site manager of the Diamond Springs facility having joined the company in April 2000 as director of manufacturing. Hebeisen serves as vice president of marketing, having joined Endwave in connection with the September 2002 acquisition of the wireless assets of Signal Technology's Wireless Group.
Layton serves as vice president of sales, having joined the company in 1998 as director of sales with over 20 years of engineering sales experience in the microwave/millimeter-wave telecommunications industry.
Teuthorn serves as vice president of engineering, having joined Endwave in 1994 as a senior RF engineer.
Jeffrey A. Fordham , vice president of engineering at MI Technologies, has been appointed vice president of sales and marketing. In his new position, Fordham is responsible for the management of the company's sales, marketing and applications engineering functions. Fordham joined the company in 1998 as a systems design engineer responsible for the analysis and design of compact ranges and near-field antenna test systems. He was named vice president of engineering in 2000 with responsibility for management of the company's engineering department.
AMI Semiconductor announced that Charlie Lesko has been appointed to the newly created position of senior vice president of sales and marketing. Lesko joins AMIS from Broadcom Corp., where he was vice president of North American sales. Lesko has an extensive sales and marketing background in the semiconductor industry. Past responsibilities include senior management roles at Axcelis Technologies and Teradyne.
Richardson Electronics announced the promotion of Wilson Lee to vice president of Asia Pacific sales. Lee started with Richardson in 1992 as an inside sales specialist in international sales. He progressed to district sales manager, to regional sales manager and most recently to managing director of Asia Pacific sales.
TRAK Microwave, a TRAK Communications company, recently appointed Richard Pea as vice president of the Government Strategic Business Unit. Pea is responsible for all business aspects of the Government business including contracts, programs, product line management, engineering and sales. Pea began as a consultant to the company in 1999, where he assisted in the restructuring of business operations. Prior to that, he was vice president of operations at Pinkerton Systems Integration and held several essential positions over a 25-year span for Harris Corp.
Park Electrochemical Corp. announced that Mark Carlson has joined the company as business director of global RF/microwave materials. Carlson will be responsible for the global marketing and sales of RF/microwave printed circuitry materials manufactured by Neltec Inc. and Neltec SA, Park's high technology circuitry material business units located in Tempe, AZ and Lannemezan, France. Carlson has held sales and marketing management positions over the last 20 years for AlliedSignal Laminate Systems, Isola Laminating Systems, Arlon Materials and Keene Technologies.
PC Specialties announced the appointment of Kent Frazer as director of sales and marketing. Frazer will be responsible for global sales and marketing of large format printed circuit antenna products manufactured by PC Specialties located in Irving, TX. Frazer may be contacted via e-mail at KRFrazer@pcsitexas.com.
Paul Tusini has recently joined Times Microwave as global accounts manager. Most recently Tusini was part of the team that founded and operated Volex RF Technologies in Wilmington, MA. Tusini's previous experiences include product management with Tyco Electronics in Lowell, MA and director of sales and marketing for Quality Microwave Interconnects Inc. (now Tensolite). He has almost 25 years of experience in all aspects of sales, sales management and product marketing for RF and microwave components, with over half of it in coax cable assemblies. Tusini will be based in the Boston office and can be reached at (978) 887-3033.
Rogers Corp. announced that Colleen Murphy has been named market development manager for the liquid crystalline polymer product line. She will be working at the company's advanced circuit materials division in Chandler, AZ. Murphy will be responsible for the market introduction of the R/flex" 3000 family of LCP circuit materials as well as provide strategic direction for ongoing product development.
Microsemi Corp. announced the appointment of Christine McAllister as regional sales manager at its microwave products operation in Lowell, MA. McAllister, whose extensive experience in RF/microwave semiconductors includes design, fabrication and manufacturing as well as 10 years of direct sales and marketing, will provide technical sales support to Microsemi's European and Canadian markets. Prior to joining the Microsemi microwave products sales staff, McAllister held a regional sales position at MCE/Metellics, responsible for eastern US and European markets.
Astra Microwave America announces the appointment of Shahid Rahman as the new general manager, North America. He is responsible for establishing American operations and Astra's overall sales, marketing and business development activities for North America and Europe. Rahman has over 18 years of international experience in telecommunications and consumer products. He has served in engineering, sales, marketing and general manager roles at firms such as GTE, Scientific-Atlanta, American Satellite, SSE Technologies, ComVisat and Nortel. He earned his engineering degree at the University of S. Alabama and his MBA from Mercer University in Atlanta.
Anritsu Ltd. announced the appointment of Alain Marion to the position of assistant general manager of European sales. In his new role, Marion, who has been with Anritsu since 1990, will continue to be based in France.
REP APPOINTMENTS
Hittite Microwave Corp. announced the appointment of a new sales representative firm to serve customers in Arizona and New Mexico. Saguaro Technical Sales Inc. , established in 1994, is headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ.
Spectrum FSY Microwave of Columbia, MD announced a series of new representative appointments for its line of microwave filters. Acetec Inc. of San Diego, CA will represent southern California, while Centramark of Garland, TX will represent Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas. Dytec Inc. will target accounts in the mid-west, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, western Kentucky and western Pennsylvania. Internationally, Elexience of Verrieres-le-buisson Cedex will be the exclusive representative for France and Seki Technotron of Tokyo for Japan.
Sprague-Goodman Electronics announced the appointment of three new sales representatives. These organizations will market the company's product lines which include trimmer capacitors, fixed and variable inductors, transformers and microwave tuning elements. Southern California will be covered by Dura Sales , headquartered in Diamond Bar, CA; sales in Arizona, New Mexico and El Paso, TX will be the responsibility of Scottsdale, AZ-based Saguaro Technical Sales Inc. ; in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and southern Illinois, Sprague-Goodman will be represented by Midtec Associates Inc. , based in Lenexa, KS.
MI Technologies announced that it has selected Castle Microwave Ltd. to represent the company's line of RF and microwave test and measurement products to customers in the UK and also to serve as MI Technologies' authorized service center.
Stealth Microwave ™, a division of SSB Technologies Inc., Trenton, NJ, has recently appointed two new sales representatives to assist in marketing its solid-state linear and ultra-linear power amplifiers. Acetec Inc. will market products in southern California and Micro Sales will cover Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia.