Spin out company celebrates 30 years of fibre optic success

University of Southampton spin out company, Fibercore Ltd, is celebrating its 30^th anniversary.

The hi-tech company started life in the ORC’s world-renowned Optical Fibre Group and is now a global leader in the design and manufacture of specialty optical fibres.

Established in 1982, Fibercore was launched as a business venture to offer the specialty optical fibres developed at the University on the commercial market.

Three decades later and these products are used in more than 50 countries and Fibercore now ships an average of more than 1,300,000m of fibre a month to more than 200 customers around the world.

It is used by specialist medical, government and corporate research agencies in a range of applications such as gyroscopes, lasers, embedded sensors and telecommunications components.

Fibercore Managing Director, Dr Chris Emslie said: "Fibercore was born from a foundation of professional research, excellence and expertise. We are proud that 30 years on our company is still a byword for quality, innovation and unrivalled technical support.

"We are committed to the future of the specialty fibre market and are going from strength to strength. We will continue to support our customers and the industry for the next 30 years," he said.

The company, which is based at the University of Southampton Science Park, has received national recognition for its achievements winning its first Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade just over a decade ago.

Three more Queen’s Awards for Enterprise - for Innovation in 2004 and for International Trade and Sustainable Development in 2007 – make it the only company ever to have won these awards in all three categories.

Professor David Payne, Director of the ORC, commented: "Fibercore is a shining example of a successful spinout company. By pure professionalism, dogged determination and focus on innovation it goes from strength to strength in a difficult global market. At the same time, it values its technology roots in the ORC and we look forward to working with them well into the future. I wish them every success.â€? 

 Find out more about ORC spin out companies on our business and innovation pages.

Find out more about Fibercore.