Highwave Optical to Acquire DA-LightCom

LANNION, France, Oct. 8 -- Highwave Optical Technologies, a supplier of active fiber-based components and subsystems for telecommunication dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) systems, the fiber laser industry, fiber optic sensors and defense markets, announced today it has made an agreement to acquire DA-LightCom, a France Telecom Research Center spinoff that makes optoelectronic and microwave products based in semiconductor technology, for shares worth approximately $8.5 million.

DA-LightCom is based in Les Loges en Josas, France, near Paris, with an R&D site in Lannion. It makes active components such as photoreceivers and front-end subsystems for broadband optical communications and optoelectronic and microwave components for the defense market.

Sylvain Boj, COO of Highwave, said the acquisition will reinforce the group's cash position by an additional 2.5 million euros after recapitalization of DA-LightCom by its current shareholders prior to the transaction. A description of the transaction will be presented to shareholders at an upcoming meeting to approve the acquisition.

Boj said DA-LightCom's stragegy of outsourcing its semiconductor manufacturing and component packaging will enable the merged company to increase its revenuess. DA-Lightcom has 30 employees; its clients include Thales, Sagem, EADS and Alcatel.

"The acquisition of DA-LightCom will allow us to expand our product range by offering to our clients subsystems and components based on semiconductor technologies," said Francois Leraillez, CEO of Highwave. "Our addressable market also becomes more significant. In addition, DA-LightCom has already developed its activity in the defense market with several important accounts for two years. This opening on the defense market is in perfect synergy with our diversification strategy started a year ago through our fiber laser technology."

For more information, visit: www.highwave-tech.com