Vytran Corporation to Expand Automated EDFA Production for Bookham Technology.

Bookham Technology, UK, purchases additional Fiber Automated Systems from Vytran Corporation, US to enhance optical amplifier production.

Morganville, NJ August 14, 2004 -- Vytran Corporation, a leading manufacturer of optical fiber fusion splicing systems, announced today that Bookham Technology plc has purchased additional Vytran FAS systems to expand its automated EDFA production capabilities. The FAS fully automates the labor-intensive operations of optical assembly and measurement, providing significant improvements in yield, quality and cost of optical amplifier production.

Bookham Technology is one of the world's largest manufacturers of components, modules and subsystems for optical networks. Bookham is currently using a Vytran Fiber Automation System (FAS) at their Paignton, England facility. The additional automation equipment will be deployed at Bookham?s Shenzhen, China facility.

Vytran has developed the FAS as a flexible automation platform that can be configured using various process modules for many different optical manufacturing applications, including Fibre Bragg Gratings, Coupler Manufacture, Fibre Lensing and Fibre Pigtailing. One of the primary applications of the FAS is the automation of optical fibre fusion splicing, a fundamental but critical manufacturing process required for most optical assemblies. Process modules for coating removal, fibre cleaving, fusion splicing, recoating, proof testing, and loss measurement are used to fabricate and qualify splices in under two minutes. A pallet loading system with auto-feeder allows complete optical amplifier modules to be assembled in a single pass, all without operator involvement.

?It has been recognised for some time that a shift away from manual assembly methods to automated solutions is vital for reducing the cost and improving the yield, quality and flexibility of optoelectronic manufacturing?, explained Robert Swain, Technical Director, Vytran U.K. ?Bookham has taken the industry lead in making the transition to automated manufacturing, which should give them a tremendous competitive advantage over optical amplifier manufacturers who are still using manual assembly methods.?

Michael Bone, Director of Manufacturing Engineering commented that "The Vytran FAS is now integral to the design and manufacture of our optical module and EDFA assemblies and forms a key part of the strategy moving forwards with the deployment of equipment and volume manufacturing in Shenzhen. The close working relationship between Bookham and Vytran has allowed us to maximise the potential of the FAS."

Notes to Editors:
Vytran Corporation is a privately held company that was founded in 1989 to develop, manufacture and market new technologies for optical fiber fusion splicing and related applications. The company?s product and technology base has been developed in response to the demands of both production and specialty fiber splicing, and includes fully automated equipment for the manufacture of optical fiber components and systems. Vytran Corporation, and its affiliate, Vytran U.K. Ltd. are based respectively in Morganville, NJ, and Exeter, England. For further information, see www.vytran.com.

Bookham Technology (LSE: BHM; NASDAQ: BKHM) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of optical components, modules and subsystems. Bookham?s disruptive technologies and broad product range allow it to deliver an extensive range of cost effective optical functionality and solutions to customers, which offer higher performance, lower cost and provide greater subsystems capability to meet their customers? needs. The company?s optical components, modules and subsystems are used in various applications and industries, including telecommunications, data communications, aerospace, industrial and military. In 2002, Bookham acquired the optical components businesses from Nortel Networks and Marconi. In 2003, the company acquired Ignis Optics, Inc. and the business of Cierra Photonics Inc. In March 2004, the company completed the acquisition of New Focus, Inc. In June 2004, the company acquired Onetta, Inc. The company, whose securities are traded on NASDAQ and the London Stock Exchange, is headquartered in the UK, with manufacturing facilities in the UK, US, Canada, China and Switzerland; offices in the UK, US, France, Italy, and China; and employs approximately 1750 people worldwide.

More information on Bookham Technology is available at www.bookham.com

Bookham is a registered trademark of Bookham Technology plc.

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