News Stories Roanoke
Times, The (VA) STRONG ENOUGH
FOR DEFENSE They're not certain, for certain, but they're sure enough to be sure. Sure enough to know that the company's rugged fiber-optic cable is deployed by U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sure enough to know that Optical Cable's "ground tactical fiber optic cable" - designed to be quickly deployed across the ground for communications in battlefield conditions - can survive being run over by tanks, trucks and armored Humvees. Last week, Optical Cable Corp. executives celebrated receiving an important certification by the Department of Defense. After testing by a government-approved, independent lab, the department's Defense Logistics Agency added the Roanoke County-based company's ground tactical fiber-optic cable to its Qualified Parts List. Executives said Optical Cable's product is the only cable of this type that's made that list. Jack Hooper, a spokesman for the Defense Logistics Agency, could not be reached for comment. The certification affirmed what company executives have long asserted: that its durable, military ground tactical fiber-optic cable is sturdy stuff. Optical Cable has been for years a major supplier of the cable to the Department of Defense. "We were all very happy about it," said Barney Dean, Optical Cable's manager of military and government sales. And what might this certification mean for government sales? Neil Wilkin, president and chief executive officer, would not speculate. But Wilkin said Optical Cable would not have shouldered the expense and commitment of time required for the certification if the company did not believe it would affect sales. "We do think it's going to increase our sales at some level, but we don't know how or when," Wilkin said. The certification could boost sales if a military customer or a defense contractor requires that tactical fiber-optic cable for communications applications meets military specifications and ! demands a cable that is so certified, Wilkin explained. Draka USA, a c ompetitor in this arena with Optical Cable, reports on its Web site that certification for its ground tactical fiber-optic cable is "pending." Draka is based in Holland. Before Optical Cable could achieve certification of the military-grade cable, the company had to pass a comprehensive, on-site audit of its manufacturing processes. The Defense Department needed to know, for example, that tactical cable produced one week would be as good as tactical cable produced the week before and after. Dean said Optical Cable learned late last year that its manufacturing facility had been certified by the department, which allowed the next step - seeking certification of the product itself. Wilkin said the certifications mark important milestones in the company's history but declined to rank the significance on a scale of, say, 1 to 15. "I think it's hard to put it on a scale. I'd describe it as another positive step in showing our pre-eminence in ground military! fiber-optic cable," Wilkin said.Optical Cable employs 225 people. According to the company, its durable cable has been deployed in Antarctica, Greenland, the Sahara Desert and other locales of extreme conditions - including Mount Everest. On Monday, Optical Cable's stock closed at $6.58, up 20 cents. Copyright
(c) 2005 The Roanoke Times
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