Optical Authentication Solutions for Flex Products Expanded Through Acquisition of LA Label
San Jose, California, and Ottawa, Ontario – January 23, 2003 – JDS Uniphase Corporation (NASDAQ: JDSU and TSX: JDU) today announced an expansion of its capability to provide integrated optical technology solutions for product security and brand authentication with the acquisition of LA Label Corporation (LAL). JDS Uniphase is already a global leader in optical authentication technologies through its Flex Products business unit, whose ColorShift technology protects the currency of nearly 90 countries. With this acquisition, Flex’s SecureShift™ technology can now be integrated into labels and packaging to protect the world’s leading brands against the epidemic problem of counterfeiting.
“Product counterfeiting costs businesses billions of dollars in lost revenue each year, and we believe we will now be able to offer industry leading integrated solutions by combining our optical authentication technology with the label and packaging capabilities of LAL,” said Jozef Straus, CEO of JDS Uniphase. “Secure integrated solutions add value to our core optics technology and allow us to expand this successful business into new opportunities.”
“We are excited about the potential of Flex’s SecureShift™ technology and its synergies with our own capabilities to offer complete solutions in what is currently a fragmented marketplace,” said Nick Valestrino, President, LAL. “I believe that joining JDS Uniphase opens opportunities in new markets and allows us to provide a broad offering of new products and services.
The growing problem of product counterfeiting costs the U.S. over $200 billion in lost revenue annually, and Fortune 500 companies are each spending an average of $2-4 million annually to combat it, according to the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC). Flex Products’ SecureShift™ technology offers a secure solution for branded products across many industries. Applications include software, CDs, videos, apparel, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and numerous other consumer and luxury items.
Flex Products uses its ColorShift technologies to create a visual effect that is easily recognizable but resistant to copying through digital or other means. As a result, it is used by countries worldwide to protect their currency against counterfeiting. SecureShift™ has been specially tailored for product security applications so that the same level of protection can be offered to a broader market. While counterfeiters are finding other security offerings, such as holograms, increasingly easy to copy, SecureShift™ remains extremely difficult to duplicate.
LAL, based in Commerce, CA, has been supplying quality, custom, printed pressure sensitive labels and packaging solutions for over 60 years. Nick Valestrino, currently President of LAL will continue to manage the operations in Commerce and will report to Roy Bie, Vice President and General Manager of Flex Products.
JDS Uniphase will market its SecureShift™ label solutions for product security directly through its global sales & marketing organization for Flex Products, combined with the current LAL sales force and selected partners.
The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
About JDS Uniphase
JDS Uniphase, a worldwide leader in optical technology, designs and manufactures products for fiberoptic communications, as well as for markets where its core optics competency provides innovative solutions for industrial, commercial and consumer applications. JDS Uniphase's fiberoptic components and modules are deployed by system manufacturers for the telecommunications, data communications, and cable television industries. JDS Uniphase also produces products for display, security, medical/environmental instrumentation, decorative, aerospace and defense applications. More information on JDS Uniphase is available at http://www.jdsu.com/.
The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, any statement or implication that (a) the technologies or products described in this press release (i) will be successfully introduced or marketed, (ii) will be qualified and purchased by our customers, or (iii) will perform to any particular specifications or performance or reliability standard, or (b) that the Company will receive any benefits from the acquistion. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that, if realized, could materially impair the Company's results of operations, business, and financial condition. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, (a) the failure of the products (i) to perform as expected without material defects, (ii) to be manufactured at acceptable volumes, yields, and cost, iiiy) to be qualified and accepted by our customers, and (iv) to successfully compete with products offered by our competitors, and (b) factors discussed from time to time in reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or qualify any of the statements made herein. Source: JDS Uniphase Corporation.
General Inquiries: Contact your JDS Uniphase Representative or call 800-498-5378 in North America or + 800-5378-5378 outside of North America, or see http://www.secureshift.com/
Media Inquiries: Lori Goulet, Corporate Communications, 613-843-3000 x6486