ProLabs, AddOn Networks merge under Halo Technology

Third-party optical transceiver vendor ProLabs has merged with AddOn Networks (formerly AddOn Computer Peripherals LLC), which also offers interoperable transceivers as well as high-speed cabling. Both companies are backed by private equity company Inflexion, which has announced that it has brought the two companies under the umbrella of a group called Halo Technology.

"As we integrate our companies, the number-one priority will be maintaining the customer-first, quality-centric standards the industry has come to expect while providing a substantial value proposition." said Matt McCormick, president of AddOn, via a press release from that company. "In the interim, as we develop a long-term strategy, both companies will continue to operate as they do today, supporting their individual brands, with no changes in the way business currently takes place."

Inflexion describes Halo as "the world's leading third party optical transceivers business." Funds under the private equity firm's management invested in Prolabs this past June and participated in an acquisition of AddOn in November. Halo will look to strengthen its technical expertise and market position, which already includes activities in North America, Europe, and Asia, "utilizing Inflexion's track record of acquisitive growth to scale in a fragmented market," in the words of its own press release.

"With over 50 bolt-on acquisitions completed this year, Inflexion is well placed to assess the market for further suitable opportunities for Halo," said Tim Smallbone, head of Enterprise at Inflexion, via the release.

UK-based ProLabs, founded in 2004 as part of an IT distributor and incarnated in its current form in 2013, has aggressively pursued an intercontinental expansion course (see "Ward Williams new ProLabs CEO"). The company makes a variety of optical transceivers in data rates ranging from 100 Mbps to 100 Gbps, alongside media converters and connectivity products (see, for example, "ProLabs showcasing Green transceivers line at ECOC 2017" and "Berk-Tek partners with ProLabs to launch optical transceiver line").

AddOn, founded in 1999, also offers optical transceivers as well as network cabling and accessories and memory upgrade products. The two companies employ approximately 150 people combined.

Stewart Holness, chairman of ProLabs, will serve as executive chairman of Halo. Jonathan Ma and Abhishek Majumdar of Inflexion will sit on Halo's board.

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