A strategic market alliance has been formed between 3M Telecom Systems Division (Austin, TX), Digital Equipment Corp. (Littleton, MA) and General Instrument`s Commscope Network Cable Division (Claremont, NC) to provide their customers with warranted copper and fiber-optic media and hardware. The alliance integrates the products from the three companies into Digital Equipment Corp.`s Open DECconnect passive wiring system, which will support local area network wiring in a campus environment from the riser backbone to the work area.
AMP Inc. (Harrisburg, PA) is strengthening its fiber-optic connector line with the acquisition of M/A-Com Inc. (Hudson, NH). M/A-Com`s Interconnect Division manufactures singlemode and multimode connectors, adapters and other passive optical components. AMP has also formed a partnership with Alcatel Optronics (Nozay, France) to develop fiber-optic products worldwide.
With the acquisition of the Schroff Group (Straubenhardt, Germany), Pentair Inc. (St. Paul, MN) has created an alliance between Schroff and its other enclosure subsidiary, Hoffman Engineering (Anoka, MN). Hoffman and Schroff will continue to operate independently but some Schroff products, including 19-inch electronic cabinets and racks, will be available through Hoffman`s American distributors.
Corning Inc. (Corning, NY) announced an increase of 8% in the price of its SMF-28 and Titan singlemode optical fiber products. Siecor Inc. (Hickory, NC), a joint-venture company of Siemens Corp. and Corning Inc., has also increased by 12% the list price for its optical fiber cable. Both companies stated that the increase is necessary to support tighter specifications and more stringent technical standards.
Spectran (Sturbridge, MA), a manufacturer of multimode fiber-optic glass and specialty fibers, has acquired Applied Photonic Devices Inc. (Danielson, CT), and will manage it as an independent business unit offering fiber-optic cables and related products. With this acquisition and Spectran`s recent introduction of singlemode fiber, the company will offer a wider range of fiber supplies to the cable community.