GRAND BLANC TWP.–ATX Networks, a developer of broadband access and media distribution technology, announced the opening of a new manufacturing plant here, which will build the company’s GigaXtend hybrid fiber-coaxial cable amplifiers, as well as future equipment.
“A USA-based manufacturing plant enables ATX to accelerate the assembly, packaging and shipping of ATX products while expanding our overall manufacturing capabilities to meet the time-to-market needs of our customers,” said Dan Whalen, CEO of ATX Networks, at the April 4 grand opening. “In addition to helping us keep supply chain constraints in check, a U.S. manufacturing facility has the potential to assist MSOs working to shrink the digital divide leveraging government funding.”
The plant, announced in September, is owned and operated by Mara Technologies Inc., an Ontario-based subsidiary of the Invotek Group. Mara incorporated an advanced and highly automated linear production line and testing capabilities into the plant’s design for high-volume and high-quality production of outside plant products.
The plant will initially produce ATX’s widely deployed GainMaker-compatible GigaXtend amplifiers.
ATX officials cited industry analysts who believe that there will soon be large investments in data and entertainment network hardware. The new ATX plant will allow the company to meet that demand, as well as expected demand of network expansion into rural areas and other underserved communities, incentivized by government subsidies to use equipment manufactured domestically.
“We are honored to have ATX as an anchor tenant and assist in expanding the company’s manufacturing capabilities,” said Peter Schmied, president and COO of Markham, Ontaqrio-based Invotek. “As demand for HFC amplifiers increases, the cable community can count on ATX to deliver the HFC products they need — when they need them — in lockstep with customer demand.”
Hybrid fiber-coaxial networks, or HFC, use both fiber-optics and coaxial cable to deliver data, video, and voice service to customers.
For more information, please visit www.atx.com.
ATX is based in Whitby, Ontario.