Oclaro Outsourcing China Operations

Optical communications and laser components provider Oclaro Inc. is outsourcing its Shenzhen, China-based final assembly and test operations to Venture Corp. Ltd.’s Malaysia facility, the company announced Wednesday. The transfer, expected to take three years, will free up more than $35 million, Oclaro said.

Venture has been involved in making optics products since 1992 for applications in data, telecommunications and related markets, including low-level through final assembly for fixed and tunable wavelength devices, transceivers and transponders.

During the three-year transition period, Oclaro will continue to operate its Shenzhen manufacturing facility, and it will retain its employees. Several of Venture’s operational personnel will relocate to Shenzhen to provide support to Oclaro, oversee the transfer and ensure that products transitioned to its Malaysia facility are fully qualified by customers before they are phased out of the China facility.

Beyond the transition, Oclaro intends to maintain a presence for long-term customer support, new product introduction, and research and development close to its Shenzhen customers. It plans to sell its facility to a third party and lease it back. Proceeds from the sale would be incremental to the net cash proceeds of the Venture agreement, it said.

For more information, visit: www.oclaro.com