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September 27th, 2000

CORNING, N.Y. - Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) and Pirelli S.p.A., announced today that Corning has agreed to acquire Pirelli’s interest in its optical components and devices business for approximately $3.6 billion in cash. Pirelli’s optical components and devices business, based in Milan, Italy, is a leading manufacturer of lithium niobate modulators, pump lasers, certain specialty fibers and fiber gratings used in optical networks.

Under the terms of the acquisition, which has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, Corning will pay approximately US$3.6 billion to acquire all of Pirelli S.p.A’s 90% interest in its optical components and devices business. The remaining 10% of the company is owned by Cisco Systems, Inc. Corning will make an initial payment of approximately US$3.4 billion, and may make a contingent payment of US$180 million upon the achievement of certain business milestones.

Corning expects to finance the purchase with proceeds received from the issuance of a combination of equity and convertible debt securities. While the specific mix has not yet been determined, Corning will raise funds in proportions that maintain its strong financial position. The financing will be lead managed by Goldman, Sachs & Co.

The investment is expected to be less than 5% dilutive to Corning’s 2001 Pro Forma earnings per share (EPS) and accretive thereafter. Pro Forma earnings exclude amortization of purchased intangibles and goodwill, purchased in-process research and development, one-time acquisition costs, discontinued operations and other non-recurring items. The acquisition, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to close by the end of the fourth quarter of 2000.

The transaction will be accounted for as a purchase. Corning will likely record a charge for acquired in-process research and development when the transaction is completed. The goodwill associated with this transaction is expected to be amortized over a 5-10 year period.

In announcing the acquisition, Corning’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Roger G. Ackerman stated, “The acquisition of Pirelli’s active component technologies and products significantly adds to our capabilities in the transmission segment of the optical layer. The combination of Pirelli’s business with our leading position in optical fiber and photonic technologies enables us to continue to provide our customers with an enhanced value proposition for high-speed next generation systems.”

Marco Tronchetti Provera, chairman and Ceo of the Pirelli Group stated, “Through this transaction Pirelli will strengthen its long-standing relationship with Corning and will reinvest the proceeds to further enforce its strategic role in its core businesses: telecommunications, energy transmission and tires, capturing opportunities to create additional value.”

The addition of lithium niobate technology will broaden Corning’s portfolio as the company continues to position itself as a leading supplier of photonic products to optical layer companies. The capabilities of Pirelli’s optical components business in 980 nm pump lasers for submarine use directly complements and supplements Corning Lasertron’s terrestrial 980 nm pump capabilities.

Lithium niobate modulators are ideally suited for use in high-speed, long haul optical communications networks. The technology has been chosen by a majority of long-haul equipment suppliers because it has the best combination of optical, electronic, and reliability performance.

Corning will host a conference call to discuss the details of the acquisition on Wednesday, September 27, 2000 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. EDT. To access the call dial (888)-282-0369 or (212) 287-1622, password is: Corning IR. A replay of the call will begin approximately 1/2 hour after the call is completed and will run through 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, September 29. To access the replay dial (888) 568-0359, no passcode will be required.

Established in 1851, Corning Incorporated (www.corning.com) creates leading-edge technologies for the fastest-growing markets of the world’s economy. Corning manufactures optical fiber, cable and photonic products for the telecommunications industry; and high-performance displays and components for television and other communications-related industries. The company also uses advanced materials to manufacture products for scientific, semiconductor and environmental markets. Corning’s revenues in 1999 were $4.7 billion.

September 13th, 2000

Microwave Photonic Systems announces the introduction of
the MPS - 2600, Optical Mode Conditioner (OMC)

The OMC adapts the single-mode output of Gigabit Ethernet (1000Base-LX) transceivers to existing multimode cable networks.

Click here to download the PDF file

September 11th, 2000

CAMARILLO-RIFOCS Corporation, an industry leader for fiber optic test instruments and cable assemblies, has named Dennis Horwitz as Vice President of Marketing and Business Development.

Horwitz, one of the founders of RIFOCS, brings more than 20 years of experience to this position. He will be responsible for expanding the presence of RIFOCS in the domestic and international marketplace and for guiding the development of new products to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding fiber optics industry.

RIFOCS Corp. is a leading supplier of fiber optic test equipment, components and cable assemblies for the commercial telecommunications, data communications, military and aerospace markets.

Visit the RIFOCS website: www.RIFOCS.com

September 11th, 2000

CAMARILLO-RIFOCS Corporation, an industry leader for fiber optic test instruments and cable assemblies, has named Ron Deppen as Business Unit Leader of its Military/Aerospace division, also known as Mil/Aero.

Deppen served for more than two years as a Senior Program Manager for the Mil/Aero division. During this time, he has been involved in overseeing the implementation of RIFOCS fiber optic cabling systems in a wide range of military and aerospace applications, including the B-1B Lancer Bomber, the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, the SPAWAR Shipboard GPS Fiber Optic Antenna Link (FOAL), Fiber Optic Towed Decoys (FOTD), the PHALANX Shipboard Defensive Weapon upgrade program and a Classified Space Program. 

RIFOCS Corp. is a leading supplier of fiber optic test equipment, components and cable assemblies for the commercial telecommunications, data communications, military and aerospace markets.

Visit the RIFOCS website: www.RIFOCS.com

September 11th, 2000

The RIFOCS 263MT visual fault finder is an indispensable tool for quickly identifying breaks and bending losses in fiber optic cables terminated with MT-RJ small form factor (SFF) duplex connectors.  A powerful 0dBm (1mW) 635nm red laser launched into both fibers makes breaks, bending losses and other defects easily visible for up to 1 kilometer. The 263MT features continuous wave output and a one-second pulsed output mode that increases viewing contrast in difficult lighting conditions. The steady output during continuous wave operation may also be used for measuring insertion loss in the visible 630nm wavelength region.

Visit the RIFOCS website: www.RIFOCS.com

September 11th, 2000


Microwave Photonic Systems announces the
FP-1000 Fabry-Perot Interferometer Inspection System

Click here to download the PDF file

September 8th, 2000

Nanometer Technologies announces
The FOS-800 Video Inspection Scope

The FOS-800 Video Inspection Scope is designed to be easy to use. With a 12” monitor (included) you will get an 800x magnification that is true to the screen. The FOS-800 is housed in a metal casing for durability. With the optional capture card, you can view and save images in a computer. Visit our website for more information: www.nanometer.com

September 5th, 2000

RIFOCS Corporation's Components Division is now a full-line distributor of Europlus Services Ltd. fiber optic products, including fiber management systems for PC boards, device mounts, and other essential hardware.

"By becoming a full-line distributor of Europlus products, we can better serve our customers by providing one-stop shopping for a wide variety of fiber optic hardware and tools," said Andy Devine, the business unit leader of RIFOCS Corp.'s Components Division.

"Our relationship with Europlus Services Ltd. goes back 10 years, and their high quality and extensive manufacturing capabilities have helped RIFOCS become an industry leader in fiber optic components and instruments in that span of time," Devine said.

September 5th, 2000
(press release date 8/31/00)

Corning Incorporated and Siemens AG demonstrate N x 40 Gb/s DWDM
Transmission over Corning® LEAF® Optical Fiber
^{Long-haul system testbed at ECOC 2000 will integrate Raman and other
DWDM technologies to provide high-speed data transport in a live demonstration}

^{CORNING, N.Y. / MUNICH, Germany - Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) and Siemens Information and Communication Networks today announced plans to demonstrate a 40 Gb/s transmission system that provides four times the capacity per channel of today’s most advanced commercially available networks. The demonstration will show the next level of time-division multiplexed (TDM) SONET/SDH signals and DWDM transmission and highlights the optical fiber and photonic components necessary to achieve an error-free and reliable N x 40 Gb/s data rate.}

^{The system combines Siemens’ next generation 40 Gb/s transmission equipment and DWDM terminals TransXpress Infinity with Corning’s optical layer products, including LEAF® optical fiber, PureGainTM EDFA and Raman amplifiers and PureForm™ DCM® Modules for LEAF fiber. The demonstration will be conducted at the European Conference on Optical Communications (ECOC) 2000 in Corning’s booth #109-112, September 4-7 at the International Congress Centre in Munich, Germany.}

^{With their first joint live demonstration, Siemens and Corning have overcome many of the technological hurdles that accompany higher TDM speeds.}

^{“We are working together to move advanced 40Gb/s technology out of the research laboratories and into the market as a robust and reliable product offering,” said Dr. Hans-Joachim Grallert, Senior Vice-President Development, Optical Networks at Siemens Information and Communication Networks. “Through this effort, we are one step closer to accommodating the rapidly increasing bandwidth and traffic demands of today’s communication market.”}

^{The demonstration will transmit eight channels of simulated live traffic, error free, at 40 Gb/s per channel over 4 x 100 km spans (400km) of LEAF fiber. By integrating Siemens’ 40 Gb/s systems and DWDM terminal TransXpress Infinity with Corning’s LEAF fiber, PureGain EDFA and Raman amplifiers, and PureForm DCM Modules for LEAF fiber, both companies have achieved the capability to manage the power, noise, dispersion and non-linear effects at 40 Gb/s transmission rates. The large effective area of LEAF fiber reduces peak light intensity in the core of the fiber and allows more power to be pumped into the network while reducing the non-linear effects that can degrade system performance. This feature also allows the best balance of Raman pump power level and EDFA output power and provides an optimal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).}

^{“Achieving higher data rates represents one key strategy that Corning is pursuing to strengthen our world-leading position in optical fibers, amplifiers and other critical elements of the optical layer,” said Corning’s Wendell Weeks, executive vice president, Opto-Electronics. "Moving to higher data rates also helps our customers dramatically reduce the cost of bandwidth. Corning is developing a family of products tailored to making low-cost bandwidth and higher TDM rates a reality."}

^{For the 40 Gb/s system test bed at ECOC 2000, Siemens will use a unique, patented receiver concept and high performance transmitters to transmit signals over 4x100 km without Forward Error Correction (FEC). When FEC is used, the TransXpress Infinity MTS system supports 80x40 Gb/s over 1000 km. It delivers highly economic transmission by reducing the number of expensive regenerators.}

^{“By increasing the data rate to 40 Gb/s per wavelength and reducing the number of regenerators, Siemens and Corning have reduced both investment and operational costs for customers,” said Dr. Hans-Joachim Grallert of Siemens.}

<sup>About Siemens Information and Communication Networks
Siemens Information and Communication Networks Group is a leading provider of integrated voice and data networks with a comprehensive portfolio of IP-based products and solutions for enterprises, carriers and service providers. The Group has many years of experience in consulting, planning, installing and operating converged networks. It is an integral part of the Information and Communications (I and C) business segment of Siemens AG, one of the world’s largest electrical engineering and electronics companies with sales totaling more than $ 74 billion. I and C comprises the three Groups Information and Communication Networks (51,500 employees, $ 10.6 billion in sales), Information and Communication Mobile (20,000 employees, $ 5.3 billion in sales), and Siemens Business Services (34,000 employees, $ 5.3 billion in sales). Further information about ICN is available at http://www.siemens.com/ic/networks

Corning Inc.
Established in 1851, Corning Incorporated (www.corning.com) creates leading-edge technologies for the fastest-growing markets of the world’s economy. Corning manufactures optical fiber, cable and photonic products for the telecommunications industry and high-performance displays and components for television and other communications-related industries. The company also uses advanced materials to manufacture products for scientific, semiconductor and environmental markets. Corning’s revenues in 1999 were $4.7 billion.</sup>

September 5th, 2000
(press release date 8/30/00)

Orient Aster is ready to enter in manufacturing of optoelectronics 
and fiber optic connectors

Very shortly Orient Aster will be setting up its 2 unit in Noida with the largest production capacity in the manufacture of Patchcords, Pigtails and Adaptors in India.

    Orient Aster is the first company to be established in India in the manufacture of Patchcords, Pigtails and Adaptors with Technical collaboration with Aster Corporation USA IN 1992 and are supplied to various PSUs, Government and private organizations not only in India but else ware

   During this period we have developed a large customer base, which includes manufacturers and users of Fiber optic services, cables and systems. We are also an ISO-9002 certified company.

       Now again Orient Aster Communications is entering for the first time in India in the manufacturing of following fields –

  · Opto electronics such as Transmitters, receivers etc.
    with technology transfer  with USA based firm.

  · Standard Fiber optic connectors for singlemode
   and multimode applications

     Companies interested in joint venture/ collaboration for manufacture of other light wave product and other fiber optic connectors, may contact us as early as possible.

Tel: 91-6347729 
Tel: 91-6341609 
Fax: 3316976 
Fax: 6839423 
visalraj@del3.vsnl.net.in

September 5th, 2000
(press release date 8/29/00)

Corning To Invest More Than $20 Million To Increase Manufacturing Capacity
of Liquid Crystal Devices
Expansion will increase capacity of PurePath™ products by six times

CORNING, N.Y. — Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) today announced it will invest more than $20 million to significantly increase its manufacturing capabilities for two PurePath™ wavelength management products, based on liquid crystal technology.  This expansion will increase the level of current capacity by a factor of six times for the PurePath Dynamic Spectral Equalizer and Wavelength Selective Switch products.  Both products provide high channel-count bandwidth management, and extend the reach of long-haul and metro Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) networks by improving signal quality. 

“The level of functionality and performance provided by these liquid crystal devices has generated significant interest in the marketplace over a very short period of time,” said Doug Eccleston, newly appointed business manager for Corning’s Wavelength Management Products group.  “Expanding our manufacturing capabilities will enhance Corning’s ability to meet the demand for product samples while supporting early adopters of the technology.” 

“Corning’s PurePath products have attracted attention by outperforming other liquid crystal-based products as well as devices based on alternative technologies,” said John Bayne, Corning Wavelength Management Products commercial manager.  “One of our U.S. customers successfully tested the PurePath Wavelength Selective Switch in a field trial.  This product has also been used in a successful multi-terabit test-bed experiment in Europe.”

The first phase of the expansion will increase capacity by a factor of three times at Corning’s current manufacturing facility in Orange County, CA by the first quarter, 2001.  That facility is in close proximity to Corning’s Advanced Photonic Technologies, the organization that developed the liquid crystal-based products.  The second phase of the expansion focuses on long term capacity in a new facility, with ramp-up scheduled for the second half of 2001.

The Wavelength Selective Switch is the first high-count, wavelength-selective optical switch that offers high isolation, low insertion loss, and a bi-directional design.  It provides dynamic wavelength routing for optical path protection or for the interconnection of metropolitan rings.  The switch can also be used as a 40 or 80 wavelength, reconfigurable add-drop module.  The Dynamic Spectral Equalizer provides dynamic power attenuation on a per-channel basis.  It can individually attenuate 40 channels at 100 GHz spacing or 80 channels at 50 GHz.

In June, Corning announced that Marconi Communications, a key supplier to 80% of the world’s telecommunications organizations, would incorporate the Dynamic Spectral Equalizer into its latest WDM portfolio, SmartPhotoniX, specifically the PMA-32 product.  Corning will demonstrate a 40-channel, 100 GHz PurePath Dynamic Spectral Equalizer at the National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference (NFOEC) being held in Denver, CO August 27-31, 2000. 

September 5th, 2000
(press release date 8/17/00)

Versitron announces the RS-485 Dual Voice/Data Fiber Modem

VERSITRON'S new RS-485 TeleData fiber optic modem is the epitome of versatility.  Use it as a telephone modem, use it as a data modem, or use it as both.  The F270X/F271X is capable of transmitting both voice and data signals simultaneously over a fiber optic cable.  Available in both multimode and single mode, this modem can accommodate distances to 15 km.

Visit the Versitron's website at: www.versitron.com

September 5th, 2000
(press release date 8/17/00)

Corning to Open New Photonic Components Manufacturing Facility
Henrietta, NY plant will employ 440 people and more than double company’s capacity in fiber-based passive components

CORNING, N.Y. - Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW), an industry-leading manufacturer and supplier of optical fiber and photonic products, announced today that it will open a passive components manufacturing facility to be located in Henrietta, New York, just south of Rochester. The company will initially invest approximately $80 million over the next 12 to18 months to double its production of fiber-based passive components, which are part of optical amplifiers used in communications networks. When fully operational, the plant will employ 440 people. Production is slated to begin by early-2001.

Demand for Corning’s fiber based passive components continues to increase, fueled by erbium-doped fiber and Raman optical amplifiers. Fiber based passive components are part of the broad photonic product portfolio supporting Corning’s position as a leading optical layer company.

In making the announcement Corning’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Roger G. Ackerman stated, “Today, Corning has taken another step in its evolution of becoming the world’s leading supplier of photonic modules and optical components. This facility will centralize our core competencies for manufacturing passive components and provide a basis for the future growth of this business. One reason for choosing this site is the excellent potential for expansion.” Ackerman went on to acknowledge the support of state and local officials that made it possible for Corning to locate a significant manufacturing operation in Henrietta.

New York State Governor George Pataki stated, “Rochester’s economic resurgence is based on the depth and breadth of high-tech industries. Corning’s decision to locate their first passive photonic components plant and create 440 new jobs in Henrietta expands this dynamic business community’s strength and momentum.”

Established in 1851, Corning Incorporated (www.corning.com) creates leading-edge technologies for the fastest-growing markets of the world’s economy. Corning manufactures optical fiber, cable and photonic products for the telecommunications industry; and high-performance displays and components for television and other communications-related industries. The company also uses advanced materials to manufacture products for scientific, semiconductor and environmental markets. Corning’s revenues in 1999 were $4.7 billion.