JDSU makes acquisition

JDSU’s Santa Rosa-based optical technology business will grow with the $138 million acquisition of a New Jersey company that makes high-tech security features for credit, debit and gift cards, JDSU said Tuesday.

The addition of American Bank Note Holographics will expand JDSU’s line of optical products for protecting currency and consumer products from counterfeiters, said Pat Higgins, director of business development for JDSU’s Advanced Optical Technologies (AOT) division.

“We intend to make AOT the world leader in security solutions,” Higgins said.

AOT’s Flex Products unit makes color-shifting pigments used to print most of the world’s currency. The inks are also used on pharmaceutical labels and other products to deter counterfeiters.

American Bank Note Holographics makes holograms that appear on credit cards and other “transaction cards” issued by 20,000 financial institutions worldwide.

The three-dimensional images authenticate the cards and make them difficult to counterfeit, said Ken Traub, the company’s chief executive officer.

American Bank Note will continue to operate in Robbinsville, N.J., where it has 110 employees.

JDSU has 650 employees in Santa Rosa.