H.I.G. Capital Acquires Assets of Xtera Communications, Inc.

H.I.G. Capital (“H.I.G.”), a leading global private equity investment firm with over €20 billion of equity capital under management, announced today that it has acquired substantially all the assets of Xtera Communications, Inc. (“Xtera”), a provider of innovative and bespoke sub-sea fiber optic solutions. H.I.G. previously provided debtor-in-possession financing to the Xtera debtors in connection with the chapter 11 case.

Established in 1998 and based in the UK (Harold Wood, Essex) and the US (Allen, Texas), Xtera supplies un-repeatered and repeatered sub-sea systems, using high performance optical amplifiers to carry data. Under H.I.G.’s ownership, Xtera’s management and technical team will remain at the helm of the business, focused on successfully executing key existing customer contracts and expanding the business in the rapidly growing markets it serves with a clear roadmap of disruptive product launches.

Carl Harring, Managing Director at H.I.G. Capital commented: “We believe Xtera has considerable growth potential as an independent, well-funded business with a new ownership structure. Its world class IP protected technology is not only differentiated and superior to that of its competitors, but it is delivered to an impressive range of global clients at a cost-effective price point. We are excited to be working with this industry-leading team and our immediate focus will be to work with them to deliver and build on existing contracts and over the long-term, provide the financial support to enable the company to fully capitalise on its technology with a broader base of customers.”

Stuart Barnes, Founder of Xtera, added: “We are delighted to announce our new partnership with H.I.G. Capital, which has previously invested in the fiber-optics sector and has a proven understanding of how to grow specialist industrial suppliers into market-leading players. We share the same vision of strengthening Xtera’s footprint in the future.”

This investment follows H.I.G.’s recent successful sale of Fibercore, a UK-based designer and manufacturer of specialty optical fiber. Under H.I.G.’s ownership Fibercore grew from a niche producer into a world leading provider of optical fiber to a range of high tech industries. H.I.G. acquired Fibercore from Cisco, in a carve-out transaction back in 2011.

About Xtera

Xtera is an innovative provider of sub-sea telecoms solutions and carries an extensive portfolio of intellectual property. The company supplies both un-repeatered and repeatered systems, using its high performance optical amplifiers to deliver traffic directly inland to cities. Xtera creates novel solutions that are suited for each individual customer whether that be provision of a full turnkey system, an open architecture design or supply of a particular product or service. We aim to challenge the norm and to provide more reliable and higher quality products over new and existing routes. Xtera is a flexible supplier who works with a variety of partners to create the best solution for each project and every customer. For more information please visit www.xtera.com or contact info@xtera.com

About H.I.G. Capital

H.I.G. is a leading global private equity and alternative assets investment firm with over €20 billion of equity capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta in the U.S., as well as international affiliate offices in London, Hamburg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogotá, Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to small and mid-sized companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/ value-added approach:

1. H.I.G. Capital’s equity funds invest in management buyouts, recapitalisations and corporate carve-outs of both profitable as well as underperforming manufacturing and service businesses.

2. H.I.G. Capital’s debt funds invest in senior, unitranche and junior debt financing to companies across the size spectrum, both on a primary (direct origination) basis, as well as in the secondary markets. H.I.G. is also a leading CLO manager, through its WhiteHorse family of vehicles, and manages a publicly traded BDC, WhiteHorse Finance.

3. H.I.G.’s real estate funds invest in value-added properties, which can benefit from improved asset management practices.

Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 200 companies worldwide. The firm's current portfolio includes more than 100 companies with combined sales in excess of €28 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at www.higcapital.com.

* Based on total capital commitments managed by H.I.G. Capital and affiliates.

To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170215005537/en/

Contact information

H.I.G. Capital
Carl Harring, +44 (0) 207 318 5700
Managing Director
charring@higcapital.com