Wire-and-cable firm Belden shells out $133M for wireless LAN switch vendor Trapeze

Dan Jones, Mobile Editor

June 9, 2008

1 Min Read
Belden Snaps Up Trapeze

WiFi switch vendor Trapeze Networks Inc. has been bought for $133 million in cash by components maker Belden Inc. (NYSE: BDC). (See Trapeze Acquired.)

St. Louis-based Belden says the acquisition will give a wireless edge to its cable and connectivity products, adding the mobility capabilities its enterprise customers need. Belden says its 2008 sales will stay in the $2.2 billion to $2.3 billion range in 2008, despite the acquisition.

Pleasanton, Calif.-based Trapeze reported $27 million in revenues in 2007. The company has generally derived its sales through OEM deals with the likes of 3Com Corp. (Nasdaq: COMS). (See 3Com Pushes Enterprise WLAN.)

Trapeze was one of the first startups to talk up the concept of a wireless LAN switch. Between 2002 and 2004, Trapeze, along with Airespace and Aruba Networks Inc. (Nasdaq: ARUN), emerged as one of the leading startups set on managing enterprise WiFi. (See Trapeze's Wireless Bait & Switch.)

Since then, however, Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) bought Airespace and cemented its 60 percent-plus lead in the corporate WiFi market. Aruba and Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT) have been duking it out for the second-place spot, and other startups such as Meru Networks Inc. have been challenging for Trapeze's share of the market.

Belden is holding a conference call about the acquisition on Monday morning.

— Dan Jones, Site Editor, Unstrung

About the Author(s)

Dan Jones

Mobile Editor

Dan is to hats what Will.I.Am is to ridiculous eyewear. Fedora, trilby, tam-o-shanter -- all have graced the Jones pate during his career as the go-to purveyor of mobile essentials.

But hey, Dan is so much more than 4G maps and state-of-the-art headgear. Before joining the Light Reading team in 2002 he was an award-winning cult hit on Broadway (with four 'Toni' awards, two 'Emma' gongs and a 'Brian' to his name) with his one-man show, "Dan Sings the Show Tunes."

His perfectly crafted blogs, falling under the "Jonestown" banner, have been compared to the works of Chekhov. But only by Dan.

He lives in Brooklyn with cats.

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