PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A), a leading provider of innovative technologies for communications and life sciences, today announced an agreement to acquire Gefran Silicon Microsystem S.r.l., a fiber-optic-technology laboratory, for approximately US $55 million in cash. Silicon Microsystem is an operation of Gefran Sensori S.r.l., part of Gefran S.p.A., of Provaglio d'Iseo, Italy. The acquisition of the northern-Italy-based Silicon Microsystem is part of Agilent's ongoing investment in the high-growth fiber-optic area. The acquisition adds capabilities that are expected to afford Agilent time-to-market advantages in its expanding fiber-optic-component offerings.

"Silicon Microsystem will become a natural extension of Agilent's Turin Technology Center (TTC), itself a recent acquisition, which focuses on fiber-optic technology used in communications networks," said Dick M. Chang, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Network Solutions Division, of which TTC is a part. "Silicon Microsystem's expertise is complementary to Agilent's strengths in fiber-optic transceivers, where we are the world leader."

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