Anaheim-based contract electronics maker Multi-Fineline Electronix Inc. plans to buy photo imaging technology company Applied Optics Inc. for $6.3 million, the company said Tuesday.
Multi-Fineline is set to operate Applied Optics as a separate unit called Aurora Optical Inc.
The buy gives Multi-Fineline a 45,000-square-foot facility in Tucson along with several patents related to making optical and photonic modules for photos, like those in cell phones.
Multi-Fineline makes memory boards primarily for use in cell phones. Motorola is the company’s biggest customer.
“This acquisition significantly expands our engineering expertise and manufacturing capabilities aimed at capturing a portion of the substantial market opportunity for high-quality cameras in cell phones, which continues to evolve,” said Philip Harding, chief executive. “This additional optics design expertise and manufacturing capability, combined with our new wire-bonding assembly capability in China, will make it possible for us to offer cell phone manufacturers a competitively-priced, higher-quality and eventually smaller-sized camera solution than what is currently available.”
The acquisition is Multi-Fineline’s first since the company’s initial public offering last year, which raised $56 million for the company.
