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Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Media and Technology—Simi Valley Electronics Firm Celetron Buys EOS Corp.

Simi Valley-based electronics firm Celetron Inc. is getting a little bigger after it agreed to acquire the Camarillo-based EOS Corp. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Celetron, which makes circuit boards and other components for electronic consumer and industrial devices, had raised $48 million in venture capital in May in an effort to expand its business. Celetron President Jay Tandon said the power supply manufacturer will be a good fit for his company. “This combination will allow EOS’s leading-edge products to be produced cost-effectively in Celetron’s world-class facility,” he said. EOS manufactures miniature power supplies that are used in communications, computing, medical and industrial markets, which Tandon said would complement his company’s electronic component production. TDK Mediactive Gets Financial Help Calabasas-based children’s computer game maker TDK Mediactive Inc. has hired the investment banking firm of Wedbush Morgan Securities Inc. as its financial adviser. CEO Vincent Bitetti said TDK is hoping Wedbush Morgan can help it return to the Nasdaq big board. After being de-listed because its stock price sank below the $1 level, the company currently is listed on the Nasdaq Over the Counter Bulletin Board. Last year, the company lost $3.3 million on $2.6 million in total revenue, compared to a $4 million loss on $4.6 million in revenue in 1999. ValueClick Acquires Mediaplex Westlake Village Internet advertising firm ValueClick Inc. has completed its acquisition of advertising software maker Mediaplex Inc. of San Francisco. The deal, worth $150 million in cash and stock, will give ValueClick access to Mediaplex’s Web-based applications that allow advertisers to create customized messages for online advertising campaigns. Mediaplex also provides media buying services, data capture and analysis, along with Web site visitor profiles. “The key to success from both a financial and technological standpoint is consolidation,” said Tom Vadnais, president and CEO of Mediaplex, who will keep his position and title once the deal is completed. Jim Farley, chairman and CEO of ValueClick, will head the combined companies. In 2000, Mediaplex lost $37.5 million on $63.6 million in revenue. ValueClick fared worse, losing $55.6 million on $56.7 million in revenue. Kutchaver Establishes Effects Firm Veteran visual effects expert Kevin Kutchaver, best known for his work on “Xena: The Warrior Princess,” has formed a new visual effects company, HimAni Productions in Burbank. Kutchaver, former president of Flat Earth Productions which created visual effects for “Xena,” “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys” and others, has partnered with veteran animator Kathy Zielinski to establish the firm. Zielinski, who will continue as animation supervisor for DreamWorks Feature Animation, will also specialize in designing and creating visual effects, Kutchaver said. Kutchaver recently completed work on the yet-to-be-released film “Tremors 3.” Among Kutchaver’s visual effects credits are “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi,” “Beetlejuice” and “Robocop.” Mickey Phones Japan Mickey Mouse wants to get Japan on the line sort of. He’ll be phoning Japan under a deal reached by the North Hollywood-based Walt Disney Internet Group and Japanese mobile telephone firm J-Phone Group, which will allow callers to receive downloadable images of Disney characters on J-Phone’s Internet-enabled cell phones. The agreement gives J-Phone customers access to downloadable logos, screensavers, e-cards and ring tones using recognizable phrases or words of Walt Disney characters like Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck. Mark Handler, executive vice president of Disney Internet Group, said the technology uses Disney characters to notify users of incoming calls or messages. Semtech Introduces Battery Life Extender Newbury Park-based Semtech Corp. has come out with a new component it says will reduce the battery drain on hand-held devices and portable laptops. The company says its new UR5HC703-700, which can also be used in keyboards and cell phones as well, saves power because it can power down when it is inactive, even between keystrokes. But when a key is pressed, the system powers up without losing any data previously recorded. Mike Alwais, Semtech’s director of Human Interface Devices, said the component, along with a similar device for infrared keyboards, will give product designers greater flexibility in future battery-powered devices. The patent on the proprietary protocol allowing the device to function is still pending. Digital Insight Introduces Loan Software Calabasas-based banking software maker Digital Insight Corp. has introduced new software designed to automate the loan application process at branches of financial institutions. “We’re bringing Internet technology into the branches,” said Robert Surridge, vice president of Digital Insight’s lending division. “Applying for a loan via the Internet has never been faster, easier or more personal.” DeskTop Lender permits loan officers at a branch to complete electronic loan applications via the Internet and then submit them to a so-called “decisioning” engine that evaluates the application against each financial institution’s loan policies. Surridge said most decisions can be made within 60 seconds. The AXIS DeskTopLender gives financial institutions the ability to increase their revenue by entering the consumer lending market without the costs of building and maintaining a mainframe computer to handle the loan process, Surridge said. Staff Reporter Carlos Martinez can by reached at (818) 676-1750 ext. 17 or by e-mail at [email protected]

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