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At this week’s OFC/NFOEC 2008 event in San Diego, CA, USA, Pirelli of Milan, Italy unveiled the name of its new company PGT Photonics, incorporated at the beginning of February to specialize in second-generation photonics based on nanotechnologies.

PGT integrates the Photonics business unit of Pirelli Broadband Solutions and the Optical Innovation division of Pirelli Labs.

Pirelli describes the move as a strategic initiative to generate greater synergies between R&D activities and the commercialization of its growing product portfolio of optical components and modules.

“The OFC/NFOEC exhibition and conference is the ideal platform to announce to the industry the name of our new company PGT Photonics,” said Claudio De Conto, general manager for the Pirelli Group and chairman of PGT Photonics. “With a more flexible structure suited for the optical communications sector, we will be more closely focusing on our core business while simultaneously leveraging our expertise in order to meet the needs of the marketplace in a timely manner,” he adds.

The establishment of the new firm coincides with the conclusion of the first phase of Pirelli Labs’ research activity in optical technologies, which in the last 18 months has achieved validation of the first products and rolled them out onto the market. The firm is focusing on innovative optical components, optical modules, and transportation systems, and has a growing product portfolio due to its laboratories in Milan-Bicocca and a network of international partnerships.

At OFC/NFOEC, Pirelli also displayed its product portfolio, which includes its DTL dynamically tunable laser, ITLA integrable tunable laser assembly, 300-pin MSA transponders (including tunable transponders with full C- and L-band coverage), and DWDM XFP pluggable transceivers.

At the same time, Pirelli Broadband Solutions is concentrating its activity on broadband access business, which is increasingly characterized by market and technology dynamics that are different from those of photonics, Pirelli says.

Having two companies with a presence in photonics and in broadband access, respectively, will allow Pirelli Group to consolidate its position further in both sectors, and to take advantage of opportunities that may arise, including through international alliances, the firm reckons. Both the new photonics company and Pirelli Broadband Solutions will continue to collaborate with researchers at Pirelli Labs Materials Innovation.

See related item:

Pirelli adds full L-band coverage to DWDM tunable range, and launches 120km XFP optical transceiver

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