On 30 May 2016 HUBER+SUHNER signed the contracts to take over Polatis, a group headquartered in Bedford, MA (USA) and Cambridge, UK with 110 employees. Polatis develops, produces and sells all-optical network switches. This innovative technology enables improved capacity utilization in data centers and advanced data management in large telecommunication networks. Both applications are strategic growth areas of HUBER+SUHNER. The closing of the acquisition is expected in June. The parties agreed not to disclose the financial terms. The purchase will be financed entirely from company funds.
Polatis is the most technologically advanced provider of purely optical switches which, in contrast to conventional electrical/optical switches, do not convert the signals but control them purely optically and offer much higher performance. Polatis switches allow for faster switching speeds, outstanding reliability and the industry’s lowest optical loss. These innovative solutions are unique in the market and promise a large potential for the future. The products allow the efficient management of ever-increasing data volumes and are a key building block in the evolution towards software defined networks. The Polatis product portfolio thus represents a perfect addition to the existing product range of HUBER+SUHNER. Polatis will form a business unit within the Fiber Optics division.
Founded in the year 2000, Polatis now has some 110 employees at its sites in Bedford, MA/USA, Cambridge/UK and Krakow/Poland. Product management, research, development, prototyping and lowvolume production are all performed in England whilst high volume production takes place in Poland. The arm of the company based in the USA concentrates on sales.
Urs Kaufmann, CEO of HUBER+SUHNER, explains that the Polatis portfolio represents an excellent strategic complement to the HUBER+SUHNER product range: “Polatis’ pioneering technology strengthens our position as the leading innovator in the field of fiber optics. In our interconnected world, digitalization continues at a furious pace, and volumes of data are growing exponentially. The Polatis technology enables these huge data streams to be managed speedily, efficiently and securely. HUBER+SUHNER will further invest into Polatis and we expect to see a breakthrough in the data center market and a positive financial contribution within the next 2 to 3 years. We are pleased that we can count on the full commitment of the complete Polatis management team as we continue to develop the company.“
Gerald Wesel, CEO of Polatis, elaborates: “We recently launched the 384×384 switch, which is the largest available optical circuit switch; in so doing Polatis has confirmed its leading position in the field of optical switches. After years of development work and successful deployment in a range of different applications, we are now poised for a breakthrough in the data center market. Thanks to the global presence, the size and excellent reputation of HUBER+SUHNER, we are now able to position our technology more widely in the market. In strategic terms, Polatis and HUBER+SUHNER represent a perfect fit. Joining forces will mean a decisive step forward for all of us.”
Polatis Polatis is headquartered in Boston, USA, and is the world leader in the area of innovative technology for optical switches for transmitting signals in fiber optic networks. The company provides pioneering solutions for dynamic, demand-oriented connection systems for telecommunications, data centers, governments, testing and video networks. Polatis benefits from a highly-qualified development team with a broad range of experience of optical and mechanical engineering, materials and transmission systems. Further information is available at hubersuhner.com/polatis.com.
HUBER+SUHNER Group HUBER+SUHNER is a global company with headquarters in Switzerland which develops and manufactures components and system solutions for electrical and optical connectivity. With cables, connectors and systems – developed from the three core technologies of radio frequency, fiber optics and low frequency – the company serves customers in the communication, transportation and industrial sectors. The products deliver high performance, quality, reliability and long life – even under harsh environment conditions. Our global production network, combined with group companies and agencies in over 60 countries, puts HUBER+SUHNER close to its customers.
Further information on the company can be found at www.hubersuhner.com.