Microwave Journal
www.microwavejournal.com/articles/1198-around-the-circuit

Around The Circuit

April 11, 2006

INDUSTRY NEWS

Smiths Group announced that it has acquired the business and assets of Lorch Microwave LLC, adding microwave filter technology to its electronic components and subsystems Interconnect business. Smiths Group has acquired the business for $25 M from undisclosed private vendors, including $1 M payable after July 31, 2007, contingent on certain conditions being met.


Sirenza Microdevices Inc. announced a definitive agreement to acquire Premier Devices Inc. (PDI) for a combination of common stock, cash and debt valued at approximately $72.1 M. PDI designs, manufactures and markets complementary RF components featuring technologies common to existing and planned Sirenza products. With this acquisition, Sirenza, a designer and manufacturer of RF component solutions for global, diversified end markets, will expand both the depth and breadth of its products, extend its design and manufacturing capabilities into Asia and Europe, and continue its strategic mission to diversify and expand its end markets and applications.

M/A-COM, a business unit of Tyco Electronics, announced that the company has acquired an RF automotive antenna testing facility located in Belleville, MI. The facility includes three outdoor ranges, a screen room and an anechoic chamber. The use of the facility is not solely restricted to automotive companies or manufacturers, but is fully available for a complete range of RF testing to any and all interested parties.

Unity Wireless Corp. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Israeli-based Avantry Ltd. Avantry develops and supplies wireless point-to-point microwave radio-for-broadband backhaul solutions for wireless and wireline communications networks. The acquisition, which is subject to certain standard terms and conditions, will broaden the Unity Wireless product line and customer base, and will allow for cross-selling opportunities that are expected to increase revenues.

Advanced Power Technology Inc. (APT) announced that the company has entered into a license agreement with the Electronic Systems’ sector of Northrop Grumman Corp. to manufacture next-generation silicon carbide (SiC) microelectronic devices. The agreement forms an exclusive foundry supplier relationship whereby Northrop Grumman will license certain SiC technology to APT including relevant SiC patents and manufacturing methods to enable APT to manufacture proprietary high performance SiC microelectronic devices exclusively for Northrop Grumman. In related news, APT announced the planned closure of its facility in Montgomeryville, PA. The business management functions and remaining manufacturing activities currently located in Montgomeryville will be transferred to the company’s facility in Santa Clara, CA.

Kulicke & Soffa Industries Inc. (K&S) announced a plan to tighten its focus on semiconductor assembly equipment and materials and create value for its shareholders. K&S has signed a definitive agreement to sell its wafer test assets to SV Probe PTE Ltd. K&S has also signed a definitive agreement to sell its package test assets to Investcorp Technology Ventures II, L.P., which is managed by the Technology Investment Group of Investcorp, a global investment firm. In both cases, the transactions are subject to closing conditions.

NEC Electronics Corp. has announced that it will merge its wholly-owned subsidiary, NEC Compound Semiconductor Devices Ltd., back into the parent company, effective as of April 1, 2006. NEC Compound Semiconductor Devices designs and manufactures RF and wireless semiconductors, components for fiber optic communications, optocouplers and solid-state relays. In the US and throughout the Western Hemisphere, California Eastern Laboratories (CEL) is NEC’s exclusive sales and marketing partner for products manufactured by NEC Compound Semiconductor Devices. CEL maintains an extensive inventory, provides engineering and applications support, and participates in the design of the NEC Compound Semiconductor Devices’ products that specifically target the company’s domestic markets.

Terabeam/HXI has moved all of its operations to a new facility in the Ward Hill Industrial Park (East), Haverhill, MA. The new location provides increased manufacturing and office space to accommodate recent and projected sales growth in the millimeter-wave communications and radar markets. Terabeam/HXI is a division of Terabeam Inc., which also owns Proxim Wireless and Ricochet.

STMicroelectronics, a semiconductor manufacturer, inaugurated its new state-of-the-art design and development facility in Greater Noida, India. The company also announced its plans to invest US$30 M in local operations over the next two years and recruit 300 new engineers by the end of 2006.

Trilithic Inc. has formed the Quick Response Team™ to provide exceptional delivery on custom filters and RF/microwave components. The team has been formed as a result of the response to the high demand for prototype testing. This team of senior Trilithic engineers and manufacturing associates can in most situations provide a limited quantity (10 pieces or less) of new designs in a two-week delivery window. This is the ideal solution for prototype systems and/or proof of concept testing.

Jacket Micro Devices Inc. (JMD) announced that the US Patent and Trademark Office has issued US Patent No. 6,987,302 – “Stand Alone Organic-based Passive Devices.” This patent was awarded to JMD’s founders for the company’s invention of a key technology used in JMD’s multi-layer organic (MLO™) packaging process.

Hittite Microwave Corp. announced it has received its ISO/TS 16949:2002 certification for the design, manufacture and sale of plastic encapsulated analog and mixed-signal ICs for RF, microwave and millimeter-wave applications for the automotive industry. In addition to receiving this new certification, the company was recertified to the ISO 9001:2000 standard, which it has maintained since 1997.

RF Micro Devices® Inc. (RFMD®) announced that it has shipped its 20 millionth POLARIS™ TOTAL RADIO™ cellular transceiver. RFMD attributes its strength in cellular transceivers to the breadth of its GSM/GPRS and GSM/GPRS/EDGE transceiver product portfolio and the company’s ability to expand its content within the world’s leading handset manufacturers.

CONTRACTS

Andrew Corp. has won a strategic multiyear contract from a Tier 1 operator in the Middle East for a major geolocation system deployment. The agreement, valued in excess of $10 M for the first phase of deployment, calls for Andrew to install the first fully operational uplink time difference of arrival (U-TDOA) system outside of North America and the Caribbean. The Andrew Geometrix® U-TDOA will cover a network of thousands of cell sites, and initial shipments of product already are underway.

Aeroflex announced that its joint bid with Centro de Tecnología de las Comunicaciones S.A. (CETECOM Spain) has been successful in winning the contract from the WiMAX Forum to develop the protocol conformance test solution for the new WiMAX 802.16e technology standard. The contract win follows the recent open call for tenders initiated by the WiMAX Forum. In related news, Agilent Technologies Inc. announced that its wireless test equipment has been chosen by CETECOM Spain to be part of its WiMAX conformance test system. The WiMAX Forum, which promotes and certifies broadband wireless products, chose CETECOM Spain as its certification laboratory for WiMAX conformance and interoperability testing.

The China Academy of Telecommunication Research (CATR) has selected a system from Rohde & Schwarz for certification in the field of radio resource management (RRM). The protocol testers R&S CRTU-M and R&S CRTU-S and the spectrum analyzer R&S FSU are being added to the protocol tester R&S CRTU-W, which has already been put into operation by CATR. Rohde & Schwarz thus provides the Chinese regulatory authority with a complete RRM system for which worldwide the most RRM test cases defined in specification 34.121 chapter 8 are validated.

FINANCIAL NEWS

Applied Wave Research Inc. announced the completion of a Series C preferred stock financing totaling $6.4 M. The company’s existing investors, including Synopsys Inc. and CMEA Ventures, were joined in this funding round by key new investors Intel Capital, Dow Pension Funds and the Southern Ute Growth Fund. The investment funds will be used to finance future acquisitions, broaden research and development efforts in new technologies, and continue the expansion of the company’s worldwide sales and support networks.

RF Industries Ltd. reports sales of $3.4 M for the fourth quarter ended October 31, 2005, compared to $3.2 M for the same period in 2004. Net loss for the quarter was $101,000 ($0.04/per share), compared to a net income of $373,000 ($0.10/per diluted share) for the fourth quarter of the previous year.

Ansoft Corp. announced that its board of directors voted to amend its existing common stock repurchase program to permit the company to acquire an additional 1,000,000 shares of its common stock. Under the original program approved in 1998 and amended in 2002 and 2004, the company has purchased approximately 2,800,000 of the 3,000,000 shares authorized for repurchase.

PERSONNEL

WJ Communications Inc. announced the appointment of Bob Whelton to its board of directors. Whelton is currently an executive vice president of operations for Micrel Inc., a manufacturer of IC solutions for the worldwide analog, Ethernet and high bandwidth markets.

RF Monolithics Inc. (RFM) announced the appointment of William L. Eversole as an independent director to RFM’s board of directors. Eversole will serve on the board’s audit and compensation committees. Eversole is currently president and chief executive officer of Bandspeed Inc., a provider of combined silicon-software enterprise Wi-Fi Solutions, located in Austin, TX, and has over 30 years experience in the semiconductor business, specializing in product and business development.

QUALCOMM Inc. announced the appointment of Andrew Gilbert as president of QUALCOMM Europe. Gilbert, a native of England, will be responsible for the leadership of QUALCOMM’s European business and will be based in the company’s London office. Gilbert succeeds Pertti Johansson who has been appointed to a new position as president of QUALCOMM Middle East and Africa. Gilbert has spent the last 25 years in sales, marketing and general management roles for telecommunications vendors in both Europe and the United States.

Michael W. Murphy

Rogers Corp. announced that Dennis Loughran has joined the company as vice president of finance and chief financial officer. Loughran will be responsible for overseeing the company’s financial operations worldwide and helping the company achieve its future strategic objectives. He brings to Rogers an extensive background in financial management, operations and international business. For the last five years, Loughran served as vice president of finance and supply chain at Alcoa Consumer Products.

MI Technologies announced the appointment of Michael W. Murphy to the position of vice president of sales. In his new assignment, Murphy is responsible for the company’s domestic and international sales. Prior to being named vice president of sales, Murphy served as vice president and business manager of MI Technologies’ Commercial and Communications business.

Microwave Communications Laboratories Inc. has announced the appointment of Elizabeth Roecker to the company as its administrative coordinator. Her duties include management of customer service, accounts payable and receivable.

Elizabeth Roecker

AR Worldwide Modular RF has expanded its sales force with the addition of Jim Wilcox as regional sales manager. Wilcox brings over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing to his new position at AR Worldwide Modular RF.

REP APPOINTMENTS

Anritsu Co. announced the appointment of East Coast Microwave (ECM) as an authorized distributor for Anritsu’s connector and component product lines. The appointment of ECM, which has offices in Massachusetts and Florida, will allow Anritsu to better serve its customers and is expected to help Anritsu increase its market share in components.

Diamond Antenna and Microwave Corp. announced it has selected two new rep appointments. P2M will be responsible for France and RL Engineering will cover Maryland and Virginia in the US. Guy Majcherczyk at P2M can be contacted at 01 30 62 64 64 or e-mail: gmajcherczyk@p2m.com. Ray Lopez at RL Engineering can be reached at (410) 760-5533 or e-mail: rlengri@aol.com.

Eastern Wireless TeleComm Inc. (EWT) recently announced the appointment of G Squared Technologies. G Squared Technologies will be responsible for the territory of Virginia, Maryland, District of Columbia, southern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.

Endwave Defense Systems announced the signing of Blackhart Sales, Phoenix, AZ, to service the states of Arizona and New Mexico. Tim Martinelli will handle outside sales responsibilities while Kathy Martinelli will be responsible for inside sales activity. Endwave Defense Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Endwave Corp. that designs and manufactures Hi-Rel, integrated RF subsystems and components for homeland security and defense applications.

Sandvik Osprey Ltd. has appointed Dour Technical Sales as its exclusive representative in the state of Florida. Peter Dour of Dour Technical Sales can be reached at (407) 854-7686 or e-mail: dourtechsales@earthlink.net.

G.T. Microwave Inc., Randolph, NJ, announced the appointment of domestic representative, Gruber & Associates Inc., to cover Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and the Fort Walton Beach area (Florida). Gruber & Associates were allotted the task of covering prospective customers in the southeast region of the United States. Their headquarters is stationed at 241 Powers Cove, Marietta, GA 30057 or visit www.grubersales.com.