NKT Photonics announced that it has increased its 27 percent stake in Morganville, N.J.-based Vytran LLC to full ownership of the company, which makes high-end fiber splicing, cleaving and recoating equipment. Financial details were not disclosed.

"We have been impressed with the capabilities and unique technologies of Vytran, which we believe will become even more important as the market for specialty fiber devices continues to expand," said Søren Isaksen, chief technology officer (CTO) of NKT Holding, the Denmark-based parent company of NKT Photonics. "We see Vytran as providing a key building block to the overall expansion of our photonics business."

"Vytran's core strengths are in specialty fiber processing and product development, and we believe that a strong partner like NKT will bring us many new growth opportunities," said Vytran President Eric Mies.

Founded in 1989, Vytran has offices in Morganville, the UK and Australia. It manufactures products for fiber-based applications such as undersea cable systems, high-volume EDFA (erbium-doped fiber amplifier) assembly, and satellite fiber gyroscopes, and developed a new method of fusion splicing called Filament Fusion. The company recently introduced a line of glass processing products used in the fabrication of fiber laser components and systems.

Vytran will continue to operate as an indepedent company, NKT said. It will become part of the NKT Photonics Group, which includes two Denmark-based companies, Koheras, a maker of fiber lasers for monitoring and surveillance equipment, and Crystal Fibre, a manufacturer of microstructured optical fibers (crystal fibers). The third company in the group, Lios Technology GmbH, develops temperature monitoring sensors and has its headquarters in Cologne, Germany.

New Vytran CEO is Bonni Kryger; he previously served as CEO of IT-related startups and as a vice president at telecom companies Ericsson and NetTest. Former Vytran President Mies will continue on as CTO, NKT said.

For more information, visit: www.nkt.dk/uk/Menu/Group+overview/NKT+Photonics+Group