IPG Photonics Acquires Mobius Photonics to Accelerate UV Laser Development
Acquisition Broadens Opportunities in Fine Processing Markets
OXFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
IPG
Photonics Corporation (NASDAQ: IPGP) today announced the acquisition
of privately held Mountain View, California-based Mobius
Photonics to accelerate its entry into the UV laser market and
deepen IPG's development team. Mobius provides high-power pulsed UV
fiber lasers for micromachining, such as dicing and scribing of wafers,
and VIA drilling and solar hybrid panel processing.
"The acquisition of Mobius Photonics will augment our current
development efforts in UV fiber lasers to quickly penetrate the UV laser
market, which we believe could be a significant sales driver for IPG in
the coming years. Mobius has deep expertise in UV lasers, a strong
patent portfolio and proprietary techniques relating to UV lasers," said
Dr. Valentin Gapontsev, IPG Photonics' Chief Executive Officer. "The
market has been waiting for a cost-effective, reliable and stable UV
fiber laser. Now that we can combine Mobius' UV laser expertise
experience with IPG's low-cost, proprietary fiber, pump diode and
component technologies, we believe that we can effectively build a
presence in the fine processing market."
"This combination will enable us to leverage IPG's industry-leading
fiber laser technology to advance Mobius' UV technology and provide our
customers with low-cost advanced UV fiber lasers," said Dr. Robert Byer,
Mobius' Co-Founder and Chairman. "We are proud of the accomplishments of
our talented team and look forward to the many opportunities resulting
from this transaction."
Kiyomi Monro, Mobius' CEO added, "I am pleased that the Mobius team will
join IPG, a company clearly committed to investing in technology and the
people behind it."
In the acquisition, IPG acquired an exclusive license of U.S. Patent No.
5,745,284, an early and broad patent claiming pulsed fiber lasers with
frequency conversion into UV light, as well as other Mobius patents,
licenses and trade secrets.
The employees from Mobius will become part of the IPG Silicon Valley
Technology Center. Mobius had revenue from operations of approximately
$1.4 million for 2012.
About IPG Photonics Corporation
IPG
Photonics Corporation is the world leader in high-power fiber lasers
and amplifiers. Founded in 1990, IPG pioneered the development and
commercialization of optical fiber-based lasers for use in diverse
applications, primarily materials
processing. Fiber lasers have revolutionized the industry by
delivering superior performance, reliability and usability at a lower
total cost of ownership compared with conventional lasers, allowing end
users to increase productivity and decrease operating costs. IPG has its
headquarters in Oxford, Massachusetts, and has additional plants and
offices throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.ipgphotonics.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
Information and statements provided by the Company and its employees,
including statements in this press release, that relate to future plans,
events or performance are forward-looking statements. These statements
involve risks and uncertainties. Any statements in this press release
that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking
statements, including, but not limited to, that the acquisition will
augment IPG's current development efforts, that IPG will quickly
penetrate the UV laser market, that the Company will combine Mobius' UV
laser expertise experience with IPG's low-cost, proprietary fiber, pump
diode and component technologies, and that IPG can effectively build a
presence in the fine processing market. Factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties, including
risks associated with integration of acquisitions, the strength or
weakness of the business conditions in industries and geographic markets
that the Company serves, particularly the effect of economic downturns;
reduction in customer capital expenditures; potential order
cancellations and push-outs and financial and credit market issues; the
Company's ability to penetrate new applications for fiber lasers and
increase market share; the rate of acceptance and penetration of IPG's
products; effective management of growth; level of fixed costs from its
vertical integration; intellectual property infringement claims and
litigation; interruption in supply of key components, including from
transportation disruptions from natural and man-made events;
manufacturing risks; inventory write-downs; foreign currency
fluctuations; competitive factors, including declining average selling
prices; building and expanding field service and support operations;
uncertainties pertaining to customer orders; demand for products and
services; development of markets for the Company's products and
services; and other risks identified in the Company's SEC filings.
Readers are encouraged to refer to the risk factors described in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K (filed with the SEC on February 28,
2013) and its periodic reports filed with the SEC, as applicable. Actual
results, events and performance may differ materially. Readers are
cautioned not to rely on the forward-looking statements, which speak
only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to
update the forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events
or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events.
IPG Photonics Corporation
Tim Mammen, 508-373-1100
Chief
Financial Officer
or
Sharon Merrill
David Calusdian,
617-542-5300
Executive Vice President
Source: IPG Photonics Corporation
News Provided by Acquire Media