Optium Snapshot
Optium makes optical subsystems, such as transmitters and transceivers, for cable TV and telecommunications networks. The company made a major move in early 2006 by acquiring Engana, an Australian developer of reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers, or ROADMs. Those devices and other optical subsystems are used in network equipment to deliver voice, video, and data services to businesses and consumers. Optium's customers include Alcatel-Lucent (about 13% of sales), Cisco/Scientific-Atlanta (24%), Ericsson (also 24%), Siemens, and Tellabs (11%). The company gets nearly all of its sales in the US. In 2008 Optium merged with Finisar in a stock-for-stock transaction valued at about $212 million.