IRVINE, Calif. -- In a move designed to solidify the company’s leadership position in the advanced packaging equipment market, Newport Corporation (NASDAQ: NEWP) announced today the recent installation of its new automated Laser Soldering System at Flextronics Photonics, a business unit of Flextronics (NASDAQ: FLEX) in Oregon, USA. The installation marks the delivery of the industry’s first commercially available automated laser soldering system, a milestone in next-generation assembly automation systems technology for photonics components. This proven process technology – high precision laser soldering – will significantly benefit fiber-optic communications manufacturing by enabling reduced packaging footprints, increasing device yields and reducing manufacturing costs.Developed from proven fiber-coupling and solder attachment processes recently acquired from Flextronics, Newport has engineered a standardized platform for automating key fiber-optics packaging processes that have been Telcordia-qualified for numerous applications. Device manufacturers have been interested in this technology for many years because of the lower material costs and smaller form factors associated with soldering versus welding. However, until now no commercially available standardized solution has been available.In making the announcement, Kevin Crofton, Vice President and General Manager of Newport’s Advanced Packaging and Automation Systems Division (APAS), said, “Newport continues to expand its leadership position in the advanced packaging equipment market place with the commercialization of this dynamic technology, which drives commercial fiber optic component manufacturing a generation ahead. This installation is also testimony to our ability to rapidly develop and deploy new process technologies in our standardized platforms.” Newport will become the exclusive provider for all fiber optic alignment and attachment systems for Flextronics Photonics on a global basis.Newport Corp.