It was a dynamic year in Orange County’s diverse technology sector as several young companies made the leap to market-leading contenders.
Consolidation was the reigning theme, a trend evident in our Top 5 stories of the year in the key sector. The list included Broadcom slashing more than 770 workers—a third of its Irvine operation—following its $37 billion sale in February to Avago Technologies Inc.; Irvine-based Ingram Micro’s $6 billion sale to Chinese conglomerate Tianjin Tianhai Investment Company Ltd.; and the $900 million sale of Aliso Viejo-based logistics software maker Telogis Inc. to Verizon Communications Inc.
Here’s a list of several other significant stories that didn’t make our Top 5 but certainly could have in previous years:
n Aliso Viejo-based networking equipment maker QLogic Corp. sold for $1 billion to Silicon Valley chipmaker Cavium Inc.
• Irvine-based laser and related equipment maker Newport Corp. sold for $980 million in an all-cash deal to Massachusetts-based MKS Instruments.
• Irvine-based printed circuit board maker Multi-Fineline Electronix Inc. sold for $610 million to Suzhou Dongshan Precision Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
• Irvine-based Kurion Inc., which played a key role in stabilizing the contaminated Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan in 2012, sold for $350 million to Paris-based nuclear cleanup specialist Veolia.
• Skyworks Solutions Inc.’s new chief executive, Liam Griffin, opted to run OC’s third largest chipmaker by employment from Irvine, swinging corporate influence from Woburn, Mass.
• Amazon Gaming Studios’ hub in Irvine grew its profile, leading the online retail giant’s first foray into PC game development with the sports brawler “Breakaway.”
Big Tube Deal
Comcast Corp., the nation’s largest cable TV provider, is the first company to deploy Santa Ana-based Universal Electronics Inc.’s QuickSet Cloud offering, which ensures automated device setup through its X1 Voice Remote.
The latest deal bolsters an already deep relationship between the two companies.
The Business Journal in March reported that Comcast will invest $40 million in the remote control maker over the next six years, with an option to acquire about a 5% minority stake in the company if certain spending benchmarks are met.
The transaction marked the first time Universal Electronics struck such a deal in its 30-year history.
Philadelphia-based Comcast was its biggest customer last year, accounting for $129.4 million, or roughly 21.5%, of its $602.8 million in annual revenue. El Segundo-based DirecTV was No. 2, spending $74.8 million, or about 12.4%.
Art of Photography
Huntington Beach-based smartphone accessory maker olloclip launched a pop-up exhibit at the Seventh Letter gallery in L.A.’s Fairfax district that showcased photos taken with its clip-on lenses.
The company, which recently released its branded Core lenses for the iPhone 7, has championed the fusion of art and technology. In May it partnered with photo-editing app developer PicsArt in San Francisco to host a global mobile photography walk. Users of olloclip’s smartphone macro, ultra-wide and fisheye lenses captured images of Tokyo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Berlin and Mexico City, editing and sharing them on PicsArt, which has more than 65 million monthly visitors.
Award-winning surf and adventure photographer Chris Burkard showcased his miniature art exhibit at the 2014 U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach. “A Gallery for Ants” was shot entirely with an olloclip lens.
Olloclip has posted double-digit growth in the past few years to annual sales topping $15 million.
