Agilent Expanding Fiber-Component Production

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 9 -- Agilent Technologies Inc. is expanding its manufacturing capacity for fiber-optic components. The company plans to quadruple worldwide capacity through expansions at each of its fiber-optic manufacturing sites over a two-year period.
Agilent will invest more than $175 million to support plant expansions and capital equipment. The company has ordered additional multi-wafer reactors for laser device epitaxy, and expects to install the devices by the end of July.
The market for fiber-optic components continues to grow exponentially, said Shane Gibeson, worldwide manufacturing manager for Agilent's Fiber Optic Communications Division. Our goal is to continue to expand ahead of the market in anticipation of our customers' needs.