EXFO to buy manufacturing and R&D test instrument company InOpticals

Sept. 10, 2020
Founded in 2017, Taiwan-based InOpticals develops sampling oscilloscopes, bit-error rate testers (BERTs), and other test instruments for use by manufacturers of optical transponders, components, and network equipment.

EXFO Inc. (NASDAQ: EXFO) (TSX: EXF) says it has agreed to acquire fellow test instrument supplier InOpticals Inc. for an undisclosed sum “mostly valued in EXFO shares.” The company expects the deal to close by the end of next month, noting that the consummation is subject to closing conditions by regulatory authorities.

Founded in 2017, Taiwan-based InOpticals develops sampling oscilloscopes, bit-error rate testers (BERTs), and other test instruments for use by manufacturers of optical transponders, components, and network equipment. It specializes in meeting the requirements of 400G/800G technology evaluation, including silicon photonics-based transceivers and active and passive components. It also offers integrated test systems for R&D and manufacturing applications.

The deal is the second EXFO has executed in this area in recent years. The company bought Yenista Optics, which specialized in R&D and manufacturing instruments, in October 2017 (see “EXFO eyes Yenista Optics acquisition”).

"EXFO has intensified its focus on the research, development and manufacturing market as demonstrated by strong growth in this segment in recent years," said Germain Lamonde, EXFO's founder and executive chairman. "InOpticals brings to EXFO a remarkable product portfolio that is highly complementary and strategic. This synergistic acquisition will allow EXFO to leverage InOpticals' innovative test solutions across global sales channels and expand market share."

"We're excited to be joining EXFO, truly a global leader in optical testing," added Jones Huang, CEO of InOpticals. "Combining EXFO's global reach and market knowledge with our proven innovation capability will allow us to jointly have a more significant impact in this high-growth market."

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About the Author

Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave

Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.

Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.

He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.

You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.

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