PRODUCTION
at Foss Fiber Optics

Foss develops and manufactures fiber optic, copper and hybrid solutions in Norway and Slovakia – from standard products and one-off custom solutions to larger production runs.

Our in-house manufacturing gives us the flexibility to adapt products to specific project requirements while maintaining control over inspection and testing throughout the production process.

What do we manufacture?

Production at Foss includes both standardized products and solutions developed for specific applications.
We manufacture and assemble products including:

• fiber optic patch cords and pigtails
• pre-terminated fiber optic cables
• pre-terminated panels
• MPO/MTP solutions
• pre-terminated copper cables
• custom cable assemblies and wire harnesses
• rugged fiber optic and cable assemblies
• hybrid solutions combining fiber, electrical signals and power
• racks, cabinets and mechanical components

Fiber optics has been at the core of Foss since the company was established, but our manufacturing capabilities today also include copper, mechanical products and solutions that combine several technologies.

From standard product to custom solution

Not every project can be solved with a standard product.
With our own manufacturing facilities, we can customize elements including:

• cable type and length
• fiber and copper type
• connector combinations
• breakout and fan-out
• labeling
• mechanical design
• combinations of fiber, electrical signals and power

A project may begin with an existing solution that needs to be adapted, or with a requirement for a completely new product.

For custom solutions, the relevant teams at Foss are involved, including technical engineering, product management and production. A solution can be developed as a prototype, evaluated and then scaled to the required production volume.

From subsea to space

Our products are used across a wide range of environments and applications – from subsea and offshore to industry, defense, data centers and space.

Requirements vary significantly between applications. Material selection, connector technology, mechanical design, testing and documentation must therefore be adapted to the environment in which the product will operate.

With expertise in fiber optics, copper, hybrid solutions and mechanical manufacturing, Foss can develop and manufacture products for both standard infrastructure and highly demanding applications.

Rugged solutions for demanding environments

Foss has extensive experience in the termination and assembly of connector systems and cable products for industry, offshore, defense and other demanding environments.

Our capabilities include technologies and connector systems such as:

• Expanded Beam
• 3M™ EBO
• D38999-based solutions
• HARTING Han
• rugged fiber optic and field cables
• custom cable assemblies and wire harnesses

Some products require specialized equipment, dedicated production processes or manufacturer-specific training and approvals. Cleanroom facilities are also used for the assembly of selected specialized products.

Explore solutions for demanding environments →

Inspection and testing

Quality control is an integrated part of manufacturing at Foss.

Work is inspected at several stages throughout the production process, and finished products undergo final inspection before delivery.

For fiber optic products, we use equipment including optical measurement systems and interferometry to verify connector geometry and optical performance.

Terminated copper products undergo relevant electrical testing.

Production and measurement data can also be recorded and linked to individual products, providing traceability where required by the project.

Want to learn more about our production processes, testing, traceability, standards and certifications?

Read “Production at Foss – from concept to fully tested product” →

Manufacturing in Norway and Slovakia

Foss has manufacturing facilities in both Norway and Slovakia. The production environments share much of the same expertise and manufacturing capabilities and produce many of the same types of products. This gives us flexibility and capacity across two European production locations.

Drammen, Norway

Drammen is Foss' headquarters and one of our main manufacturing locations for fiber optic products, pre-terminated solutions, copper products and specialized cable and connector assemblies.

Both standard products and custom solutions are manufactured here, ranging from panels and cable assemblies to products for industrial and defense applications.

Bratislava, Slovakia

Foss Fibre Optics in Bratislava has a manufacturing environment with much of the same fiber optic expertise and production capabilities as our facilities in Norway.

The facility manufactures both standardized and custom solutions, including fiber optic cable assemblies and specialized connector and cable products.

Lillesand, Norway

Our Lillesand facility has extensive expertise in mechanical manufacturing, plastics and aluminum.

The facility includes CNC equipment, milling and turning machines and an in-house toolmaker. This enables us to manufacture and customize mechanical components, racks, cabinets and other products internally.
 

Manufacturing in both Norway and Slovakia allows Foss to combine local expertise with capacity and flexibility across two European production environments.

Development and mechanical manufacturing

When a standard solution does not meet the requirement, mechanical parts or other components may also need to be developed.

Our capabilities include:

• 3D printing for prototypes and smaller production runs
• CNC machining
• milling and turning
• in-house toolmaking
• plastics manufacturing
• production and assembly of racks and mechanical products

This enables us to develop more elements of a custom solution in-house and evaluate a solution before moving into larger-scale production.

From one unit to larger production runs

One of the advantages of in-house manufacturing is the ability to adapt production volumes to the project. Foss can manufacture a single custom product, a prototype or a small production run – and scale further as demand increases.

At the same time, our facilities in Norway and Slovakia have the capacity for high volumes of standard terminations and larger production runs. This means Foss can support a product from the first custom solution through to more extensive series production.

Do you need a
custom solution?

Do you have a requirement that cannot be met by a standard product?

Talk to us early in your project. We can assist with technical assessments, component selection, customization, prototyping, testing and manufacturing.

Talk to us about your project →