Bookham Opens Component Plant

SWINDON, U.K. -- Jack S. Kilby, the man credited with the invention of the silicon chip,today opened Bookham Technology's new manufacturing facility in Swindon, U.K.Production at the new 16,000-square-foot facility, located on Faraday BusinessPark, is currently in the qualification phase prior to ramping up to fullproduction -- in the process, creating up to 270 jobs by the end of the year.

Bookham Technology's proprietary ASOC manufacturing process uses processingmethods and production equipment developed for the microelectronicsindustry, to produce high-performance optical components required by thecommunications and Internet industries. ASOC can integrate multiple opticalfunctions on to a single component, allowing miniaturization andintegration. Bookham® Technology (LSE: BHM; Nasdaq: BKHM) designs,manufactures, and markets optical components that allow communicationsnetworks to be constructed efficiently to meet the growing demands ofInternet traffic. Using patented silicon-based ASOC® technology, thecompany's products generate, detect, route, and control light signals in thenext-generation optical communication networks currently beingdeployed by telcos, ISPs and large enterprises. The company, which isquoted on Nasdaq and the London Stock Exchange, is headquartered in the U.K.and has offices in the U.S.and Japan.

http://www.bookham.com