Kiwi firm exports hi-tech fibre optics to China — Exporter Magazine

Auckland-based manufacturer Hope King has launched production of its hi-tech fibre optics components, aiming to export $9 million-worth of componentry to China in the first year.

Hope King general manager Howard Chen said his company aimed to win ten percent of the huge Chinese market within three years.

Chen said he was confident the ‘Made in New Zealand’ hi-tech products would provide a point of difference in the Chinese telecommunication industry.

With a 1,000sq m factory established in Avondale last October, Hope King produces market-leading optic fibre connectors and components for use in big data centres and cloud computing operations.  

At this stage, Hope King employs 15 local staff but intends to boost numbers as it grows its export operations.

“Hope King has made a great contribution to the local economy in terms of export, tax revenue and employment,” says Ross Clow, deputy chair of the Economic Development Committee of the Auckland Council. 

“It has also lifted the competitive advantages of the New Zealand fibre optics manufacturing industry and strengthened New Zealand products’ influence in oversea markets, like China.” 

Since 2014, Hope King has established its Auckland plant and transformed from a distributor to a manufacturer. Hope King will invest up to $50 million by 2017 to build up research and development facilities, in partnership with its commercial associates and New Zealand universities.

With more than 650 million Internet users, China is one of the world’s most important markets for fibre optic components. As a former distributor of fibre optic components, tools and testing instruments since 2007, Hope King has developed vast distribution channels and built strong relationships with local Chinese business partners.

“At this stage, Japan Pacific Technology, China Fibre and Yuanda Communication Technology are our major partners,” Chen says. 

Hope King produces market-leading fibre optic connectors and components such as MPO and AOC, which are vital for efficiency in big data centres and in the age of cloud computing. MPO to MPO pre-connection is the preferred Ethernet standard for deployment in data centres, and offer low cost, low power consumption, flexibility and high density devices. AOC, in particular, is on trend to be the transmitting tool for high-definition video, displacing HDMI.