Alcatel-Lucent could be called Longview's connection to France — and much of the rest of the telecommunications and satellite-connected world.

Bill Miller, senior director of operations for the global company's Longview operations on West Marshall Avenue, said the site is busy and will be even busier in coming months.

Kevin Green/News-Journal Photo (ENLARGE)

Senior Director of Operations Bill Miller at Alcatel-Lucent said the site is busy and will be even busier in coming months.

"We have about 185 employees now and expect to have between 200 and 210 when we become totally engaged," he said, adding that the plant is adding new production lines that will require additional hiring.

In recent years, Longview-based workers have produced microwave telecommunications equipment. They're gearing up to produce code division multiple access units and repeaters — specialized equipment to strength communication signals and to stretch the use of communication channels — for satellite radio giant Sirius, he said.

"Wireless technology is based on one of two standards — CDMA and GSM — with CDMA prominent in North America," said Denise Panyik-Dale, senior manager-North America communications for Alcatel-Lucent. "CDMA is a global technology and is used by service providers worldwide ... although outside North America, GMS technology is dominant."

Miller, who's been with the company for 15 years, said there have been many positive changes in recent years.

"We've added products and staff and have been able to promote some people from within," he said.

Alcatel-Lucent operates three Longview shifts Monday through Friday with some staffers also recently working weekends to help the company meet increased demand, Miller said.

Assembly workers may be involved in putting together circuit boards that perform specific tasks. Miller said workers add components, solder parts in place and have them tested.

"Testing is done along the way and when the parts are completed — from beginning to end," Miller said. "It's a complex assembly process."

The company has recently hired and is hiring additional testing technicians and assembly operators. For the technician positions, Miller said the company looks for prospects who have at least a two-year technical education.

"We've hired a number of people with military electronics experience," he said.

For assembly positions the main criteria is a good work ethic, Miller said.

"If they have that then we can usually train them for the job," he said. "We have a good workforce here in Longview. They're well trained, average about 10 years with the company and build some good products."

The Longview site is one of a handful of manufacturing plants Alcatel-Lucent operates around the world, according to Panyik-Dale.

Miller said while the majority of products made locally are shipped throughout North and South America, some shipments go much farther.

"We have shipped all over the world," Miller said. Alcatel-Lucent has had a Longview presence since 1978 and has operated at three local sites.

Its most recent move came in 1993 when the company moved to its present site at 1227 W. Marshall Ave.

Miller said while the facility has seen an evolution of products in the past 30 years, production has always been geared toward the telecommunications industry.

The local plant's largest customer is wireless provider Verizon. AT&T is another large buyer of products from the Longview Alcatel-Lucent site, he said.

Alcatel merged with Lucent in 2006 in a deal estimated at $11 billion to create the present company.

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At a glance

What: Alcatel-Lucent, a Longview based manufacturing operation of a Paris, France, headquartered telecommunications company.

When: Opened Longview operations in 1978

Where: 1227 W. Marshall Ave.

Employees: 185 locally; 77,000 globally in 130 countries

The corporation: Publicly traded in Europe and on the New York Stock Exchange under the "ALU" symbol. Company information indicates Alcatel-Lucent "provides solutions that enable service providers, enterprises and governments worldwide to deliver voice, data and video communications services to end users."