Belden Acquires Trapeze Networks for $133 Million

Belden Acquires Trapeze Networks for $133 Million
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Belden Inc., a leader in network cabling and infrastructure, has completed the acquisition of Trapeze Networks Inc. in an all-cash deal worth approximately $133 million. Trapeze, based in Pleasanton, Calif., had 2007 revenues of approximately $56 million.

The deal reflects the slow demise of the standalone WLAN controller market, a segment Trapeze launched in 2003, and which was dominated by itself and Aruba Networks Inc. As major players like Nortel Networks and Cisco Systems began updating LAN switches for 802.11 support, Trapeze focused on control of mission-critical enterprise WLANs, while Aruba emphasized WLAN security.

Belden president and CEO John Stroup said that the company was interested in Trapeze's "full complement of signal transmission solutions" for the enterprise market. In 2006, Trapeze shifted to a distributed switching architecture which it claimed could handle mobile users better than traditional WLAN controllers. It augmented its controllers with 802.11n support last year. Trapeze also is known for its RingMaster wireless LAN management software suite.

Trapeze President Jim Vogt pledged the product line will be continued under Belden management.