Oclaro

Oclaro was a photonics and telecommunications-component company that manufactured and sold optical components, modules, and subsystems. Although the Oclaro name was created in 2009, the business traced its origins to Bookham Technology, a British company founded in 1988. Bookham developed optical components intended for integration with silicon integrated circuits and subsequently expanded through a series of acquisitions in the optical-communications industry. The company’s early growth was acquisition-led. In 2002, Bookham acquired the optical-components businesses of Marconi and Nortel Networks, substantially increasing its product and engineering base. In 2003 it bought Cierra Photonics of Santa Rosa, California, and New Focus, a United States optical-technology business, in a transaction reported at £118 million. Bookham continued broadening its capabilities in 2004 through the acquisition of Onetta, Inc. The transaction also resulted in the company becoming domiciled in the United States. In March 2006, Bookham acquired Avalon Photonics, a Zurich-based photonics company. A major turning point came in 2009, when Bookham and Avanex announced a merger. The combined business was intended to create a large supplier of optical components, modules, and subsystems for telecommunications networks. The new company adopted the name Oclaro, formed from the ideas of optical technology and clarity. This rebranding represented both a corporate combination and a repositioning of the business around a broader optical-communications portfolio. Oclaro continued consolidating its position in the sector through the 2012 acquisition of Opnext. Opnext had been established as a venture associated with the Clarity Group and optical researchers from Hitachi. Oclaro announced the acquisition on March 26, 2012, and shareholders of both companies approved the merger on July 23 of that year. The transaction further combined optical-component expertise and telecommunications-related product capabilities. During its independent life, Oclaro was a publicly traded company associated with the London Stock Exchange and was included in the FTSE 100 Index. Its business was focused on supplying the underlying optical technologies used in communications infrastructure rather than selling consumer-facing products. Its offerings included optical components, modules, and subsystems used in telecommunications applications, although the available reference material does not provide a complete product catalog or detailed present-day market breakdown. Oclaro ceased to operate as an independent company after Lumentum acquired it in December 2018. The acquisition was reported at approximately $1.8 billion. Following the transaction, Oclaro became part of Lumentum, and the Oclaro corporate brand no longer represented a standalone listed business. Its history is therefore best understood as part of the consolidation of the global optical-communications and photonics-component industry.

Oclaro’s corporate history began in the United Kingdom in 1988 with the founding of Bookham Technology. Bookham worked in optical communications and became known for developing optical components that could be integrated with silicon integrated circuits. Its subsequent expansion reflected the consolidation of the telecommunications-photonics sector and relied heavily on acquisitions. In 2002, Bookham acquired the optical-components businesses of Marconi and Nortel Networks. The transaction materially expanded its activities in optical communications. In 2003, Bookham acquired Cierra Photonics, based in Santa Rosa, California, and New Focus, a United States optical-technology company, in a deal reported at £118 million. In 2004 it acquired Onetta, Inc. and became a United States-domiciled company. Bookham added another photonics asset in March 2006 through the acquisition of Avalon Photonics, which was based in Zurich, Switzerland. The next major corporate transformation occurred in late April 2009, when Bookham and Avanex announced that they would merge. The parties presented the combination as a way to form one of the larger suppliers of optical components, modules, and subsystems for telecommunications. The merged company adopted the name Oclaro, a name associated with optical technology and clarity. The new identity marked the end of Bookham as the principal public-facing corporate brand and the creation of a broader optical-communications company. Oclaro continued its acquisition strategy in 2012. On March 26, it announced the acquisition of Opnext. Opnext had originated as a venture involving the Clarity Group and optical researchers from Hitachi. Shareholders of both companies approved the merger on July 23, 2012. The combination added to Oclaro’s scale and reinforced its role as a supplier of optical technologies for communications infrastructure. Oclaro was publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index during its independent corporate period. Its business centered on optical components, modules, and subsystems rather than consumer products. These products served telecommunications and related photonics applications, but the available reference material does not identify individual product families in sufficient detail to provide a more granular catalog. The company’s independent existence ended in December 2018, when Lumentum acquired Oclaro for approximately $1.8 billion. After the acquisition, Oclaro became part of Lumentum and was no longer an independent listed company. The brand’s history consequently forms part of the broader consolidation of optical-component suppliers serving global telecommunications networks.

• 2018

  Oclaro is acquired by Lumentum

  [1]Oclaroen.wikipedia.org

  Lumentum acquires Oclaro for approximately $1.8 billion, bringing the company into Lumentum and ending its independent status.

• 2012

  Opnext merger approved

  [1]Oclaroen.wikipedia.org

  Oclaro’s acquisition of Opnext receives approval from shareholders of both companies.

• 2009

  Bookham and Avanex merge to form Oclaro

  [1]Oclaroen.wikipedia.org

  Bookham and Avanex combine and adopt the Oclaro name, creating a broader supplier of optical components, modules, and telecommunications subsystems.

• 2006

  Avalon Photonics acquisition

  [1]Oclaroen.wikipedia.org

  Bookham acquires Avalon Photonics, a photonics company based in Zurich.

• 2004

  Onetta acquisition and United States domicile

  [1]Oclaroen.wikipedia.org

  Bookham acquires Onetta, Inc. and becomes domiciled in the United States.

• 2003

  Cierra Photonics and New Focus acquisitions

  [1]Oclaroen.wikipedia.org

  Bookham acquires Cierra Photonics and New Focus, extending its United States optical-technology presence.

• 2002

  Bookham acquires optical businesses from Marconi and Nortel Networks

  [1]Oclaroen.wikipedia.org

  Bookham substantially expands its optical-components operations by acquiring businesses associated with Marconi and Nortel Networks.

• 1988

  Bookham Technology is founded

  [1]Oclaroen.wikipedia.org

  The business that would later become Oclaro is founded in the United Kingdom as Bookham Technology.

A specialist supplier of optical components, modules, and subsystems for telecommunications and photonics applications, with growth driven substantially by technology development and acquisitions.

• Telecommunications photonics

  Optical components

  Oclaro manufactured optical components used in telecommunications and optical-network applications. These components represented the company’s core engineering and manufacturing activity, building on the capabilities developed under Bookham and expanded through acquisitions. The available reference material does not specify individual component families or technical specifications.

• Telecommunications equipment

  Optical modules

  Optical modules were among the principal product types associated with Oclaro after the Bookham–Avanex merger. They packaged optical functions for use in telecommunications systems and formed part of the company’s broader component-to-subsystem offering. Specific module families and launch dates are not identified in the supplied reference material.

• Telecommunications infrastructure

  Optical subsystems

  Oclaro supplied optical subsystems intended for telecommunications applications. These offerings extended beyond individual components by combining optical functions for integration into communications infrastructure. The reference material describes the category but does not provide enough information to identify particular subsystem product names.

• 2018

  Acquisition by LumentumM&A

  Background

  Oclaro was acquired during continued consolidation in the optical-components and photonics industry.

  Action taken

  Lumentum acquired Oclaro in December 2018 for approximately $1.8 billion.

  Aftermath

  Oclaro ceased to be an independent company and became part of Lumentum.

  Acquisition value. approximately $1.8 billion (December 2018)

  Source

• 2012

  Acquisition of OpnextM&A

  Background

  Oclaro pursued further scale and technology breadth in optical communications through the combination with Opnext.

  Action taken

  Oclaro announced the acquisition of Opnext, and shareholders of both companies approved the merger on July 23, 2012.

  Aftermath

  The transaction further consolidated optical-component and telecommunications capabilities within Oclaro.

  Source

• 2009

  Merger with Avanex and creation of the Oclaro brandM&A

  Background

  Bookham and Avanex sought to combine their optical-component capabilities and create a larger supplier serving telecommunications customers.

  Action taken

  The companies announced a merger and adopted the name Oclaro for the combined business.

  Aftermath

  Oclaro operated as the successor corporate brand and continued expanding through the acquisition of Opnext in 2012.

  Source

1. 1Oclaroen.wikipedia.org