Finisar

Finisar was an American optical-communications company that developed and manufactured components, modules, and subsystems used to move voice, video, and data across high-speed networks. Founded in April 1987 by Frank Levinson and Jerry Rawls in Menlo Park, California, the company became associated with the hardware layer behind data-center, telecommunications, storage, wireless, and cable-television infrastructure. Rather than operating primarily as a consumer-facing brand, Finisar supplied specialized equipment to network-equipment manufacturers, communications providers, system integrators, and other industrial customers. The company’s portfolio covered several parts of the optical-networking chain. Its optical transceivers converted electrical signals into optical signals and back again, supporting communications links across a range of network speeds and distances. Finisar also produced optical engines, active optical cables, discrete optical components, optical instrumentation, reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer and wavelength-management products, optical amplifiers, and radio-frequency-over-fiber equipment. These product families addressed applications in networking, storage, wireless infrastructure, and cable television. The breadth of the portfolio allowed Finisar to participate in both standardized, high-volume data communications and more specialized optical-system deployments. Finisar entered the public markets through an initial public offering in November 1999. Its development reflected the growing importance of fiber optics and optoelectronics as internet traffic, enterprise data storage, broadband services, and mobile communications expanded. The company’s role was generally that of a component and subsystem supplier: its products were integrated into larger network and communications systems rather than sold directly to most end users. A significant corporate development came in 2008, when Finisar merged with Optium Corporation. The transaction expanded the combined company’s capabilities in optical components and communications subsystems and contributed to a broader product offering. Finisar subsequently continued to serve markets requiring high-speed optical connectivity, including data-center and telecommunications applications. In December 2017, Apple announced a partnership and planned investment of $390 million intended to help Finisar expand research and development and high-volume production of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. The lasers supported features in Apple products, including technologies associated with Face ID. The planned manufacturing facility in Sherman, Texas, was expected to support more than 500 jobs. This arrangement illustrated Finisar’s role as a specialized supplier of advanced optical devices used in consumer-electronics sensing systems as well as communications infrastructure. Finisar ceased to operate as an independent public company after II-VI Incorporated acquired it in September 2019 for approximately $3.2 billion. The transaction brought Finisar’s optical-communications technologies and manufacturing capabilities into II-VI’s broader photonics business. The Finisar corporate entity and independent stock-market identity are therefore historical, although its technologies, products, facilities, and legacy may continue within the acquiring company’s operations.

Finisar was established in April 1987 by Frank Levinson and Jerry Rawls in Menlo Park, California. From its beginnings, the company focused on optical communication technologies: the components and subsystems that allow electronic information to be transmitted through optical networks. Its business developed alongside the expansion of fiber-optic communications, internet infrastructure, enterprise storage, wireless networks, and broadband systems. The company’s products were primarily business-to-business technologies rather than consumer products. Optical transceivers formed a central part of the portfolio, translating between electrical and optical signals at network interfaces. Finisar also developed optical engines, active optical cables, individual optical components, test and measurement instrumentation, optical amplifiers, wavelength-management systems, reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer equipment, and RF-over-Fiber products. These technologies supported high-speed voice, video, and data transmission in networking, storage, wireless, and cable-television environments. Finisar became a publicly traded company through an initial public offering in November 1999. Its public-market period coincided with rapid investment in communications infrastructure and increasing demand for optical bandwidth. As network architectures became faster and more complex, component suppliers such as Finisar provided the lasers, receivers, transceivers, cables, and optical subsystems needed by larger equipment manufacturers and network operators. In 2008, Finisar merged with Optium Corporation. The combination expanded the company’s capabilities and product coverage in optical communications. It enabled Finisar to address a wider range of network applications, from component-level products to more integrated optical subsystems and wavelength-management equipment. Finisar also supplied optical technologies for applications beyond conventional telecom and data networking. In December 2017, Apple announced a partnership involving a planned $390 million investment in Finisar. The investment was intended to support increased research and development and high-volume production of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. These lasers powered certain Apple features, including technology associated with Face ID. The planned Sherman, Texas, facility was reported as supporting more than 500 jobs, highlighting the strategic importance of specialized photonics manufacturing to consumer-electronics supply chains. The company’s independent history ended with its acquisition by II-VI Incorporated in September 2019. The transaction was valued at approximately $3.2 billion. Following the acquisition, Finisar no longer operated as an independent public company. Its technology portfolio and operating capabilities became part of II-VI’s broader photonics activities, while the Finisar name remained primarily significant as the historical identity of a major optical-component supplier.

• 2019

  Acquisition by II-VI

  [1]Finisaren.wikipedia.org

  II-VI Incorporated acquired Finisar in September for approximately $3.2 billion, ending its independent corporate existence.

• 2017

  Apple partnership and investment plan

  [1]Finisaren.wikipedia.org

  Apple announced a planned $390 million investment to support Finisar's VCSEL research, development, and production expansion.

• 2008

  Merger with Optium

  [1]Finisaren.wikipedia.org

  Finisar merged with Optium Corporation, expanding its optical-component and subsystem capabilities.

• 1999

  Initial public offering

  [1]Finisaren.wikipedia.org

  Finisar became a publicly traded company through an initial public offering in November 1999.

• 1987

  Finisar is founded

  [1]Finisaren.wikipedia.org

  Frank Levinson and Jerry Rawls founded Finisar in April 1987 in Menlo Park, California.

Specialized supplier of optical communication components and subsystems for data-center, telecommunications, storage, wireless, and cable-television networks.

• Optical networking hardware

  Optical transceivers

  Finisar optical transceivers converted electrical data into optical signals and converted received optical signals back into electrical form. They were used as network-interface components in data-center, telecommunications, storage, wireless, and other high-speed communications systems.

• Optoelectronic subsystems

  Optical engines

  Optical engines integrated key optical and electronic functions for communications equipment. They formed part of the internal architecture of systems requiring compact, high-speed optical transmission and reception.

• Data-connectivity products

  Active optical cables

  Active optical cables combined fiber-optic cable assemblies with active optical components. Finisar offered them for high-bandwidth interconnect applications in networking, storage, and related computing infrastructure.

• Optical components and test equipment

  Optical components and instrumentation

  This group included discrete optical components and instrumentation used to build, test, monitor, and maintain optical communication systems. The products supported engineering and operational requirements across several communications markets.

• Optical transport equipment

  ROADM and wavelength-management products

  Finisar supplied reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer and wavelength-management technologies for controlling optical channels in transport networks. These products helped network operators manage multiple wavelengths and adapt optical capacity without converting every channel to an electrical signal.

• Optical network equipment

  Optical amplifiers

  Optical amplifiers strengthened signals within fiber-optic systems, helping extend transmission distances and maintain performance across optical links. Finisar included amplification products among its communications-focused portfolio.

• Wireless and broadband infrastructure

  RF-over-Fiber products

  RF-over-Fiber equipment transported radio-frequency signals over optical fiber. The technology supported applications in wireless infrastructure and cable television, where optical distribution could provide reach and flexibility.

• 2017Apple-Finisar VCSEL partnership

  United States · Consumer electronics · Optical sensing

  Apple announced a planned $390 million investment in Finisar to support research, development, and high-volume production of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. The planned Sherman, Texas, facility was associated with optical technologies used in Apple features such as Face ID.

  Outcome. The announcement positioned Finisar as an important supplier of advanced optical devices for consumer-electronics applications and supported plans for expanded Texas manufacturing.

  Source

• 2019

  Acquisition by II-VI IncorporatedM&A

  Background

  Finisar was a major optical-component and subsystem supplier, while II-VI was expanding its photonics portfolio.

  Action taken

  II-VI Incorporated acquired Finisar in September 2019 for approximately $3.2 billion.

  Aftermath

  Finisar ceased to operate as an independent public company and its activities became part of II-VI's broader photonics business.

  Acquisition value. Approximately $3.2 billion (September 2019)

  Source

• 2017

  Expand VCSEL production with Apple supportStrategy

  Background

  Demand for vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers was increasing in advanced sensing and consumer-electronics applications.

  Action taken

  Finisar planned to use a $390 million investment announced by Apple to increase research and development and high-volume VCSEL production, including at a planned Sherman, Texas, facility.

  Aftermath

  The partnership connected Finisar's photonics manufacturing capabilities with Apple's product-sensing requirements and was expected to support more than 500 jobs.

  Planned investment. $390 million (2017 announcement)

  Source

• 2008

  Merge with Optium CorporationM&A

  Background

  Finisar and Optium operated in adjacent areas of optical communications, including components and subsystems used in high-speed networks.

  Action taken

  Finisar merged with Optium Corporation to broaden its product and technology capabilities.

  Aftermath

  The combined company had a wider optical-communications offering and continued serving networking and related infrastructure markets.

  Source

1. 1Finisaren.wikipedia.org