Fibre-optic industry veteran joins UK start-up

Dr Steve Norman has left Pirelli, where he was Director of Engineering and Quality, to head up UK operations at Southampton Photonics, the expanding fibre-optic components start-up.

Dr Steve Norman has left Pirelli, where he was Director of Engineering and Quality, to head up UK operations at Southampton Photonics, the expanding fibre-optic components start-up.

He brings to the company over 20 years of experience in the volume manufacturing of fibre optics products at Pirelli.

Southampton Photonics was formed in mid-2000 with initial funding of $55 million and is currently building up design and production facilities in Chilworth, near Southampton, as well as in the USA.

The company's products are used in the rapidly expanding global fibre-optic communications networks which are used to carry voice and data traffic at very high speed.

Unlike older, copper-based, communications networks, fibre-optic networks transmit data and voice traffic as a series of very high-speed light pulses.

"The proven ability to scale manufacturing operations to volume production will be critical to the company's success", said Don Spalinger, President and co-founder of Southampton Photonics.

"Steve brings enormous experience and an established track record in the successful commercialisation of specialty fibre technology".

"At Southampton Photonics, we are establishing technologies for the commercial manufacture of high-performance quality products based on innovative research work at Southampton University", said Norman.

"In our technology implementation we are building robust systems that can operate with high quality standards and productivity in a true manufacturing environment.

We plan to have a reliable and cost effective way to meet the high demand for photonic components", continued Norman.

"I am very excited to join the company at this critical stage of growth".

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