DSM and Corning Inc. recently announced the signing of a new, multi-year contract that extends and builds on the two companies’ more than 30-year supply relationship and track record in providing telecom operators with world-leading optical fiber products.

“The advanced DeSolite® coatings that DSM supplies to Corning for the production of our CPC® coated optical fibers are important components in the handling and performance of these products,” said Barry Linchuck, division vice president and director of Worldwide Marketing for Corning Optical Fiber. “We are pleased to extend our strategic supplier relationship with DSM. When combined with Corning’s advanced process technology, DSM’s DeSolite coating formulations help protect the enhanced attributes of our fiber, such as low attenuation and resistance to microbending.”

“It is vital that the owners of optical fiber investments have confidence in the systems they deploy in terms of reliability, now and in the future, particularly as optical fiber and related coating technology continues to advance,” said Rob Crowell, senior business director of Functional Materials for DSM. “The ongoing Corning-DSM strategic relationship combines Corning’s excellence in optical fiber processing with DSM’s excellence in advanced coating formulations, giving network operators confidence they are getting a reliable product manufactured by the world’s leading optical fiber producer that is robust enough to ‘future-proof’ their networks.”

Inferior optical fiber coatings can lead to poor performance in network deployments. DSM’s advanced coatings supplied to Corning can provide excellent protection against these potential challenges. Designed to be mechanically stripped, the coatings are optimized for many single- and multi-fiber cable designs, including loose tube, ribbon, slotted core, and tight buffer cables.

For additional details, visit www.corning.com or www.dsmfunctionalmaterials.com.