A Massachusetts company has bought certain assets of Spoval Fiber Optics Inc., a Spokane maker of fiber-optic distribution panels, resulting in the elimination of 20 jobs here and the closure of Spovals plant, which is being shuttered now.


The Spoval assets were bought for an undisclosed price by Fiber Optic Network Solutions Corp. (FONS), a Northboro, Mass., maker of similar products, says Lynda Fralich, Spovals co-founder and former president. FONS is privately held and employs about 150 people, its Web site says.


Fralichs husband, Mark, who was Spovals other co-founder and vice president of sales and marketing, has been hired by FONS as that companys western region sales director. The rest of Spovals work force has been let go, Lynda Fralich says.


It was very difficult for us to have to let them go, she says of Spovals employees, adding that many of them had been with the Spokane company for much of the decade it was in business.


FONS approached Spoval about buying some of the Spokane companys assets, however, she says. The transaction was completed late last month.


The Fralichs are in the process of shutting down Spovals plant in the Spokane Business & Industrial Park, at 15700 E. Euclid, she says.


Just three years ago, Spoval was anticipating rapid growth here, but like many companies in the telecommunications industry, was hit by the downturn in that sector. Spoval sold its fiber-optic distribution panels and related connectivity products to businesses that have fiber-optics networks and to resellers that assemble such networks.


Nobody is immune to the effects of all thats been going on, including us, Fralich says. She declines to disclose the privately held companys sales last year.