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 History

Santec is one of the pioneering companies that defined the Optics Industry as it exists today.

Over a twenty-two year period, Santec has made a series of strategic shifts to become one of the leaders in the optoelectronics business sectors.
We developed a series of original optical products and have garnered the attention of users throughout the marketplace worldwide. Currently we are the supplier of choice to a number of Japanese manufacturers in the fields of communication equipment, electrical equipment and cabling.

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1979 - 1983 Santec's Early Years - Pioneering Innovation
Evolving from its start as an importer/distributor of fine ceramic materials, and then as a CAD/CAM solution provider, Santec has achieved a significant transformation by establishing itself as a premier developer of optical technology.

Established in 1979 as Samcom Electric Inc. in Nagoya City, our primary business was to develop and import fine ceramic materials for use in glass fiber, ceramic fiber, IC packages, etc. We established OPELS Corp. as a subsidiary to develop and sell office-automation software in 1981. In 1983 Samcom changed its name to Santec Corporation to focus on a new fiber-optic line of business and R&D.

1984 - 1989 Santec's New Niche: Optical Technology Pioneer
Santec drew considerable industry attention through the achievements of this period, and its original products soon became essential tools in several related fields of research. This period culminates with our construction of our Photonics Laboratory in 1989.

Notable innovations:

	The world's first optical-fiber mode-field-parameter test system-the FTS-2000 (sold to leading manufacturers of fiber-optic cables)
	Ultra-high-resolution laser spectrum line-width analyzer developed jointly with KDD R&D Laboratories
	The world's first polarization-mode-dispersion characteristics analyzer
	Ferrule/die measuring instrument (Micro Hole Meter)
	Laser-diode controller
	Frequency-stabilized LD light source
	Narrow-spectrum LD light source
	Broadband tunable-wavelength LD light source
	Tunable Semiconductor Laser System, TSL-80

1990 - 1997 Santec's Cultivation of Technologies: The Dawn of the Optical Component Business
Following the bursting of Japan's economic bubble, Santec aggregated its accumulated technologies and know-how in order to leverage innovations in the overall process of research and development.
We began developing optical components based on proprietary Multi-Layer Dielectric Interference Filter technology to produce a line of "second-batch products" that established our base in a completely different field of business in new markets such as production facilities and construction sites. During this period we introduced a series of successful experiments in high-speed Gbps network technology. Santec supplied the measuring instruments and optical components that are now recognized as essential to the accelerated construction and use of undersea cable.

Notable innovations:

	Optical-amplifier evaluation system and ultra-high-speed pulse generator
	HRS-2200, an image processing system for FA application
	OPELS optical hyper system series, incorporating modular technology (included the broadband tunable-wavelength LD light source)
	Polarization-independent tunable-wavelength optical filter
	Compact tunable-wavelength light source
	Tunable optical attenuator
	Simplified wavemeter

1998 - Present Santec's Rapid Growth in WDM Technology and Optical Components
Santec's Enhanced System of Quality Assurance developed in the most recent period has produced three core businesses: Optical Components, Tunable-Wavelength Lasers and Optical Measuring Instruments.

The explosive growth of the Internet in the late 1990s served to speed the full-scale implementation of large-capacity, high-speed optical communication networks. The development of Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) technology generated an even greater demand for key optical devices, and helped transform our optical components from mere research tools to practical devices offering quality sufficient to withstand the rigors of real-world use.

During this period we obtained an ISO 9001 certification and became recognized worldwide as a force in the realm of communications technology. Santec's products passed quality audits by Lucent Technologies, CIENA, Ericsson and others, and were incorporated in transmission devices by many of the world's most prominent manufacturers.

Corporate milestones:

	Relocated the office of Santec USA to Hackensack, New Jersey and opened Santec Europe in Oxford, U.K.
	Completed the construction of Santec Photonics Laboratory in Komaki/Nagoya (Tower C).
	Established a tri-polar R&D infrastructure encompassing Japan, the U.S. and Europe.
	Listed shares on Nasdaq Japan operated by Osaka Securities Exchange Co., Ltd.
	Completed Phase II of Photonics Valley Ohkusa Campus (Tower D and E).
	Opened Santec China in Shanghai.

Notable innovations:

World's first products from Santec
	Optical Fiber Geometry Test System, 1984
	PMD Analyzer, 1985
	Bench Top Laser Diode Driver, 1986
	Bench Top Tunable Laser Source, 1987
	Linear Slider Tunable Filter, 1996
	Optical Delay Line Module, 1997
	Wavelength Locker, 1997
	Motorized VOA, 1998
	Integrated Tap PD, 2001
	Mini Digital IPD, 2002