Verrillon Acquires ADC's Photonic Components Group in Australia; Manufacturer of Specialty Optical Fiber Forward Integrates to Fiber-based Components

Business Wire, Nov 1, 2002

Business/Technology Editors

NORTH GRAFTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 1, 2002

Verrillon, Inc. today announced that is has acquired ADC's (NASDAQ: ADCT: www.adc.com) passive photonic components business unit in Canberra, Australia in association with the existing management team. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"The combination of the two businesses is unique," said Bill Beck, Verrillon's President and CEO. "No other major passive component manufacturer has an integrated specialty optical fiber capability."

The name of the Canberra, Australia business unit will revert to AOFR, the company's name prior to being acquired by ADC in 1995. AOFR will operate as a subsidiary of Verrillon, Inc.

Under the deal, ADC transferred to Verrillon its development, production and testing capabilities for tap couplers, splitters, combiners, wavelength division multiplexers, and fiber Bragg gratings. In addition, ADC and AOFR have entered into a supply agreement.

"We know the Verrillon team very well because we have been working on a number of projects with them during the last two years," said Scott Rashleigh, Managing Director of the Canberra, Australia business unit. "The ability to design optical components around custom specialty optical fibers yields many benefits - both technical and commercial."

Verrillon's facility in North Grafton, Massachusetts will continue to function as corporate headquarters and the company's specialty optical fiber operations center. Component development and manufacturing will remain in Canberra, Australia with the existing staff and management.

About Verrillon

Verrillon, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets innovative specialty optical fiber and fiber-based solutions for optical components and modules. The Company is based on a business model that focuses on technology innovation and on providing growing Photonics OEMs with rapid product development and flexible, high-volume manufacturing. Verrillon's next-generation specialty optical fiber enables improved component performance, increased manufacturing yields, new network functionality and manufacturing process automation.