Microwave Journal
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Around the Circuit

October 1, 2005

Industry News

Hittite Microwave Corp. acquired substantially all of the assets of Q-Dot Inc., a research and development organization advancing mixed-signal silicon integrated circuit technology in data acquisition, signal processing, imaging and communications, from SIMTEK Corp. The acquisition, for $2.2 M in cash, includes Q-Dot’s intellectual property and its business, consisting primarily of research and development contracts with US Government defense agencies. The employees of Q-Dot have joined Hittite and will continue to work at the Colorado Springs, CO facility.


Applied Wave Research Inc. (AWR®) and APLAC Solutions Oy announced that AWR has acquired APLAC, which develops and markets simulation and analysis software for analog and radio frequency design. The merger of the two electronic design automation software developers was driven by key customer demand for APLAC’s high performance, foundry-approved circuit simulation strength combined with the open, integrated AWR Design Environment™ technology.

Peak Devices Inc., a manufacturer of radio frequency transistors, has announced the acquisition of certain assets related to Agere Systems’ RF power LDMOS portfolio, including the production wafers, die, packages, lids and select specialized assembly equipment for the manufacture and support of transistors that produce more than 10 W of RF power. In related news, Peak announced the acquisition of wafers, die, packages, lids and specialized assembly equipment needed to continue to manufacture and support the Infineon PTB series of bipolar RF transistors.

Agilent Technologies Inc. announced it has completed the acquisition of privately held Eagleware Corp., which does business as Eagleware-Elanix. Agilent and Eagleware-Elanix, a provider of system and circuit design software for the communications industry, had announced an acquisition agreement July 28. Financial details were not disclosed. Eagleware-Elanix employees have joined Agilent’s EEsof division.

Littelfuse Inc. is now able to integrate the WICKMANN Group and its Wickmann, Efen and Pudenz brand of circuit protection products from Heinrich Industrie, Essen, Germany, into the global organization. The addition of the WICKMANN Group greatly increases the breadth and depth of Littelfuse’s portfolio with new additions to its electronic, automotive and electrical business units.

Skyworks Solutions Inc. has signed an agreement with BFi OPTiLAS, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Avent Corp. and technical distributor focused on selling high performance analog/RF devices and modules, to distribute solutions focusing on its linear products portfolio throughout Europe. Effective immediately, Skyworks’ customers may place orders with BFi who will offer a number of products including Skyworks’ amplifiers, attenuators, diodes, direct conversion products, mixers and switches.

EMS Technologies Inc. announced that it is providing assistance to Katrina relief efforts in the Gulf area by supplying key communications hardware to support restoring communications. Three of the company’s divisions, EMS SATCOM, EMS Satellite Networks and EMS Wireless, have responded with either mobile satellite communications equipment or with wireless infrastructure equipment to restore cell phone coverage in the stricken areas.

Sonnet Software Inc. announced that Rockwell Collins has selected Sonnet Suites Professional™ Release 10 as part of its complete set of EDA design tools. In addition, Rockwell Collins has implemented Sonnet’s new emCluster™ computing support, providing fast EM analysis through parallel processing on the company’s grid network. Sonnet Professional will help the designers at Rockwell Collins in their development of advanced packaging technology for government applications.

Taconic announced that the company has begun manufacturing its copper-clad base materials for RF and microwave printed circuit boards in Cheonan, Korea. This new manufacturing capability will enable the company to quickly respond to the growing Asian market as well as enhancing service to existing customers in the Far East.

Andrew Corp. has reached an agreement to sell its 104 acre property at 10500 W. 153rd Street in Orland Park, IL, to developer Kimball Hill Homes for $28.5 M. The sale, contingent on completion of due diligence and other factors, is expected to close in two phases over the next 18 months. The company will relocate its global corporate headquarters and manufacturing operations to separate suburban Chicago locations that will provide improved operational effectiveness and state-of-the-artfacilities.

EiC Corp. announced the creation of a separate company for application, test and design engineering. The company, Innocomm, is located in Hsinchu Science Park in Taiwan. CC Shiue will head the new operation that will provide engineering support for EiC Corp. The company also announced that Jerry Curtis has stepped down as EiC president to pursue another career opportunity. Curtis has directed EiC’s product expansion and growth since 2000, when he took the position of president. EiC sold off its wireless infrastructure business to WJ Communications in June 2004.

Rohde & Schwarz announced that its North American Calibration Laboratory has received A2LA accreditation for ISO/IEC 17025 and ANSI/NCL Z540 laboratory standards. ISO 17025 is an international standard that is used to assess the technical competency of calibration laboratories.

Sabritec, a custom connector manufacturer, announced that it has received certification to AS9100 Rev B. RWTUV USA Inc. certified that Sabritec has established and applies a management system for design and manufacture of connectors, cable assemblies, integrated electro-mechanical assemblies and custom interconnect solutions that fulfill the requirements of ISO 9001:2000/AS9100 Rev B. Sabritec’s certificate is valid through July 2008.

FreeWave Technologies, a designer and manufacturer of premium quality spread spectrum radios and wireless solutions for industrial, scientific, military and commercial applications, announced its FGRIO radios for wireless I/O are now UL approved for Class 1/Division 2 areas, enabling the use of the FGRIO system in hazardous areas.

Radio Waves Inc. announced that all antennas shipped into the EU marketplace are now compliant with the WEEE directive. As part of the company’s commitment to the environment all antennas now utilize the compliant WEEE labeling.

TT electronics IRC Advanced Film Division has developed lead-free versions of all of its products as a response to increasing customer demands for compliance with governmental and industry RoHS directives.

TestMart, a sales, marketing and service provider for the test and measurement industry, is the top seller of FSC66 test equipment on the Government Services Administration procurement Web site, www.GSAadvantage.gov, for the year to date. TestMart has generated twice the number of orders as the number two vendor.

Kyocera was presented with the “Supplier of the Year Award” and the “Gold” Performance Excellence Award by Freescale Semiconductor Inc. at its annual Supplier Day.

Contracts

ORBIT/FR Inc., a producer of automated microwave test and measurement systems, announced the award of a $10 M contract by a major European aerospace contractor. The contract calls for the company to deliver a state-of-the-art anechoic shielded chamber for an electromagnetic and antenna measurement testing facility. The contract represents the implementation phase of the system, which is scheduled to be delivered to the customer’s site in 2007.

Symmetricom Inc. announced that it has been awarded funding for Phase-III of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Chip Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) program. The CSAC development will produce miniature, low power atomic clocks for precision timing applications in handheld battery-powered instrumentation for use by military personnel. Under the award, valued at $3.4 M, Symmetricom will develop miniature low power atomic clocks based on its proprietary coherent population trapping atomic interrogation technology and microelectromechanical systems fabrication techniques.

Merrimac Industries Inc. announced that it has finalized a contract for an additional $2.1 M for Multi-Mix® integrated modules, following receipt of the related $1 M advance contract for product documentation and materials procurement, as previously announced. These Multi-Mix Microtechnology® subassemblies provide an enabling and unique solution for use in a multi-year military program.

Phasebridge Inc., specializing in advanced photonic integration technologies, has been awarded a contract for the development and manufacture of integrated fiber optic transmitters and receivers for the AN/ALR-95 system on the P-3C Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The contract was awarded by EDO Corp., which is providing the AN/ALR-95 system to the Naval Air Systems Command Maritime Patrol Aircraft program.

Financial News

Rogers Corp. reports sales of $83.4 M for the second quarter of fiscal 2005 ended July 3, 2005, compared to $93.3 M for the same period in 2004. Net loss for the quarter was $8.8 M ($0.54/per diluted share), compared to a net income of $11.8 M ($0.68/per diluted share) for the second quarter of last year.

Ansoft Corp. reports sales of $14.8 M for the first quarter of fiscal 2006 ended July 31, 2005, compared to $12.7 M for the same period in 2005. Net income for the quarter was $1.4 M ($0.11/per diluted share), compared to a net income of $0.3 M ($0.02/per diluted share) for the first quarter of last year.

Superconductor Technologies Inc. (STI) reports sales of $8.6 M for the second quarter ended July 2, 2005, compared to $6.3 M for the same period in 2004. Net loss for the quarter was $2 M ($0.02/per diluted share), compared to a net loss of $8.9 M ($0.11/per diluted share) for the second quarter of last year. In related news, Superconductor announced that it has closed the sale of $12.5 M of common stock and warrants in a registered direct offering. Under the terms of the transaction, STI sold 17,123,288 shares of common stock and 3,424,658 warrants to purchase common stock to a select group of institutional investors. The offering generated net proceeds of $11.4 M. SG Cowen & Co. LLC acted as exclusive placement agent for the offering.

EMS Wireless, a division of EMS Technologies Inc., announced that it has achieved an all-time high for annual orders, as of the end of the third week of August. Orders for the division’s antennas and repeaters now exceed $58 M, breaking its previous annual orders record in 2000, which resulted in sales of $57.7 M.

New Market Entry

Frank Arams, co-founder and former vice president of LNR Communications, with 30 years experience in high tech electronics, has established a patent expert and technical/management/marketing consulting practice. He is a Fellow of the IEEE. His background spans RF/microwave, telecom, broadband, satellite, optics and video technology, applications, and physics. Arams has successfully provided technical expertise to patent attorneys and electronics firms, consulting in high technology, business development and technical management. He can be contacted via e-mail at tangle1345@ieee.org or call (516) 466-8597.

Personnel

WJ Communications Inc. announced that Ephraim Kwok, senior vice president and chief financial officer, has resigned from the company to join a pre-IPO technology company. The company has begun a search for his replacement and has named Rainer Growitz, vice president of finance and board secretary, as its interim chief financial officer. Growitz joined the company in 1978 and has held a variety of finance, contracts and managerial positions at the company.

Hervé Guillou

Hervé Guillou has taken up the position of chief executive officer of the EADS Business Unit Defence and Communications Systems, the EADS Systems House. Guillou transfers from the position of CEO EADS Space Transportation, and consequently will contribute experience gained previously within the defense activities of the EADS Group. At the same time it is intended that he will take over the responsibility for EADS Defence & Security Systems S.A., becoming président directeur général of the French entity.

Micronetics Inc. announced that Diane L. Bourque has joined the company as chief financial officer. Bourque brings with her over 20 years of financial experience to Micronetics. As CFO, Bourque will be responsible for leading the company’s corporate finance, regulatory compliance, corporate governance, accounting, strategic planning and analysis, treasury, tax, audit and investor relations. Most recently, Bourque served as vice president and controller at Presstek Inc., a $270 M NASDAQ listed digital imaging company.

Aeroflex Inc. announced the appointment of Jimmy Tan as vice president, APAC for its test and measurement group. In this position, Tan will be responsible for all of Aeroflex’s sales activities in Asia and the Pacific Rim, including the solicitation of orders, maintaining customer relations, and coordination of sales representatives and distributors. He will also coordinate the company’s product installations, customer training and support. Tan comes to Aeroflex with more than 20 years experience in the test and measurement industry.

Xpedion Design Systems Inc. announced the addition of Ken Kundert and Henry Chang to its technical advisory board. Both Kundert, who is the chairman of the board, and Chang bring a deep knowledge of RF circuit design and simulation technology as well as industry insight to Xpedion.

Veniamin Stakhin

HTC-e announced the appointment of Veniamin Stakhin to the position of general manager of HTC Russia Ltd., a newly formed organization with the purpose of managing operation and design activities for HTC-e Corp.’s contract design services business. HTC Russia is located in Zelenograd, near Moscow. Stakhin is experienced in technology development, design and strategic planning with both start up and growth electronic companies.

Rep Appointments

Reactel Inc., a manufacturer of RF and microwave filters, multiplexers, switched filter banks and subassemblies to the commercial, military, industrial and medical industries, announced the appointment of Hi-Peak Technical Sales as the company’s representative in New England. For more information about Hi-Peak, visit www.hi-peak.com or telephone (866) 230-5453.

Trilithic’s RF and Microwave Components division welcomed new companies to its representative team. These appointments will have exclusive technical representation in several strategic Asian countries. Evergo Instruments Co. Ltd. will represent Taiwan, K-Tech Korea Inc. will be responsible for Korea and Everjet Science and Technology Co. Ltd. will expand sales in China.

International Manufacturing Services Inc. announced the appointment of RF Spectrum as the company’s representative in Canada. RF Spectrum’s offices are located at 7750 Birchmount Road, Unit 18, Markham, Ontario, Canada L3ROB4 (905) 415-1854 phone or (905) 415-0665 fax. Zully Alidina, owner/sales engineer, can be contacted via e-mail at zully@rf-spectrum.com.

Presidio Components Inc., a manufacturer of high reliability ceramic capacitors, announced the appointment of Texel Ltd., Los Alamitos, CA, as its authorized sales representative for southern California. Texel Ltd. can be reached at (562) 596-9411 or visit www.texelltd.com.

IMS Connector Systems, which is headquartered in Germany, has increased its worldwide sales and distribution network by contracting Antes Sales Oy to be its new sales partner in Estonia. As a specialist in the sales of antennas, antenna systems, connectors and cables, the company will add the complete IMS product range of RF coaxial connectors and cable assemblies to its portfolio.

StratEdge announced the selection of McDermott Technical Sales Inc., West Caldwell, NJ, as its representative in the Mid-Atlantic US. McDermott will handle sales and support for StratEdge’s complete line of DC to 50+ GHz packages, stripline filters, and assembly and test services. McDermott will cover the states of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and southern New York including Long Island. Bill McDermott can be reached by phone at (973) 618-0759 or e-mail: wjmcdermott@comcast.net.

Web site

Rosenberger has completely restructured and redesigned its Web site (www.rosenberger.de). As a global supplier of high frequency connectors, components and cable assemblies, the company’s new site provides the latest information about RF products and technology including the company’s manufacturing and assembly locations around the world, the international sales network, quality and environmental policies, and company news.