February 2, 2004

North Hills, CA – ASI/Silica Machinery, LLC today announced that it has successfully conducted field trials for its singlemode optical fiber core preform deposition and sintering systems. When coupled with its industry leading outside vapor deposition (OVD) overcladding systems, optical fiber manufacturers can now make a complete preform using the OVD process.

According to Ed Connor, CEO of ASI/Silica Machinery LLC, “our customers can now make preforms and fiber at a cost that is significantly below either purchasing preforms or manufacturing them with other commercially available methods. It is now possible for our customers to achieve profitability even in the face of the severe pricing erosion that has taken place over the past 3 years”.

The initial process release is for making ITU G.652B compliant singlemode optical fiber preforms. Future releases are expected for additional fiber types and specifications. These products are available for immediate order and can be demonstrated to qualified prospective customers at ASI/Silica Machinery’s development site.

ASI/Silica Machinery, LLC was formed in 1997 with a mission to provide high quality and cost effective capital equipment and optical fiber preform process technology to manufacturers of optical fiber and fused silica preforms. They enable makers of optical fiber preforms to lower their cost of manufacturing when compared to other commercially available alternatives.

Today, ASI/Silica Machinery, LLC is the leading global commercial provider of Outside Vapor Deposition (OVD) preform process technology and products to the optical fiber manufacturer market.