Following a buyout initiated by local management, coordinated by industry veteran Joerg Wieland and supported by a team of European private investors, Albis Optoelectronics AG of Rüschlikon near Zurich, Switzerland (the name by which the firm was previously known from 2003 to 2008) has re-emerged as a brand for high-speed photodetectors.
Albis was established in 2003 (based on more than 20 years of expertise in technology and product design, following the acquisition of a former Opto Speed business line). However, in March 2007 it was acquired by Enablence Technologies Inc of Ottawa, Canada (which develops fiber-to-the-home transceivers for optical modems), becoming the Active Components Group within its Optical Components and Subsystems Division.
Albis is an ISO-certified designer and manufacturer of high-speed GaAs- and InGaAs-based PIN and avalanche photodiode (APD) single-channel and array photodetectors for fiber-optic datacom and telecom applications. The product portfolio supports 10G, 40G and 100G communication links as well as analog microwave applications. Fabrication facilities (including a class 100 cleanroom and test and qualification laboratories) offer full in-house production (from front-end to back-end) of products for emerging markets as well as customer-specific modifications.
“During the past 5 years, demand for our photodiode products has grown steadily, with an average growth rate of 35% year over year,” says CEO Vincent Grundlehner. “As we see the enormous potential of our technology, we are obviously very excited to be masters again of our own business,” he adds.
The firm says that the management buyout allows for the execution of growth initiatives such as an expanded product portfolio, a higher level of production automation, and a strengthening of customer support functions.
At the Optical Fiber Communication Conference & Exposition and National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference (OFC/NFOEC 2013) in Anaheim, CA, USA (19-21 March), Albis will unveil a further expansion of its portfolio of high-speed photodetectors.
Investors backing the firm bring a broad industry network and share the long-term focus to expand its global reach. “As seasoned technology entrepreneurs, we understand the value of a strong management team combined with a solid balance sheet,” says Falk Strascheg, reckoned to be one of the most experienced private equity investors in Germany. “Considering the operational success of the company throughout the past ten years, we gladly took a substantial stake in Albis.”
