MEMGen officials say Microfabrica name a better fit.

BURBANK-based micro device-maker MEMGen Corp. has changed its name to Microfabrica Inc. to better reflect its micro device manufacturing business.

"The decision to change our name is based on the fact that we are not a MEMS company as commonly defined in the industry," said Vacit Arat, the company's president and CEO.

By the company's Sept. 2 announcement, the firm had already changed its Web site address to microfabrica.com, along with the name outside of its building.

Arat said the term MEMS is generally associated with micro devices that are based on silicon and built using semiconductor manufacturing techniques and thus not applicable to the company's products.

"Our devices... are made out of metals and can be built on different types of substrates and support high aspect ratios and 3-D flexibility, unheard of in silicon MEMS," he said.

The company's socalled "EFAB" micromanufacturing technology allows complex 3-D micro devices to be designed with 3-D CAD software tools and then manufactured within a few weeks thereafter, the company said.

The company's manufacturing process allows devices to be built using multiple layers of metal for strength, thus making it more useful than its silicon-made counterparts for uses in wireless, automotive, consumer electronics, military and aerospace industries.

Chris Bang, vice president of design, applications and engineering, said the world of micro devices is growing at a rapid pace with a number of industries already using these tiny devices.

"There are digital movie projectors now that use this technology with thousands of tiny moving mirrors to project images," he said.

Public Media Works Goes Public

Delaware-based shell company Burnam Management has acquired Public Media Works, a film production company based in Van Nuys as part of a reverse merger aimed at taking the Valley company public.

The deal closed on Sept. 4 for an undisclosed amount. Actor and Public Media Works President Corbin Bernsen said that the acquisition gives the company the ability to expand to develop a slate of television and film projects.

"The entrance of Public Media Works into a public forum will reveal further opportunities as the advertising initiatives of Madison Avenue grow closer to the filmmakers of Hollywood Boulevard," he said.

Take-Two Acquires TDK 

Struggling Westlake Village-based videogame maker TDK Mediactive, has agreed to be acquired by Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.

Take-Two, based in New York City, said it will acquire all 23 million of TDK Mediactive's outstanding shares for $22.7 million or $0.55 per share along with about $9.9 million in debt as part of a cash and stock deal.

A separate agreement also allows Take-Two to exclusive North American rights for several of TDK's titles including "The Haunted Mansion," which is scheduled for release next month just prior to the release of the Walt Disney Pictures film of the same name.

Other titles covered by the agreement include "Star Trek: Shattered Universe," and "Corvette," both of which will hit the shelves in October.

The acquisition comes as TDK struggles with declining sales amid a slumping gaming market. Last year the company posted its highest revenue ever of $42.2 million, but lost $8.3 million amid high development costs and licensing fees for film and television characters used in its games.

For the quarter ending June 30, the company reported a $7.7 million loss or $0.34 per share on $3.1 million in sales, compared to a year earlier when it posted a $2.9 million loss or $0.13 per share on $3.6 million in sales.

Crispin Boyer, editor of Electronic Gaming Magazine, said the deal gives Take-Two an entry into the children's gaming market where it's had little success.

Take-two is known for its highly successful "Grand Theft Auto," and "Midnight Club" games, which feature violent fights and machine gun battles among criminals.

"This deal gives them an instant entry into the family market with some well-known brands," he said.

Included in TDK's list of licensed characters are the Muppets, Shrek, Aquaman and Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean.

Valley's Fast 50 Members

Struggling Chatsworth-based electric generator-maker Capstone Turbine Corp. was second in this year's Deloitte & Touche Fast 50 list of fastest growing technology companies in the Los Angeles area. It was the highest ranking for a Valley area-based company on the list which featured 26 local firms. Capstone posted 23,149 percent growth over a five year period.

Online gaming company Youbet.com was third overall with its 9,700 percent growth over five years. Those selected on the list were based on percentage of growth in revenues from 1998 to 2002. To be eligible, companies considered must have at least $50,000 in revenue in 1998 and at least $1 million in 2002.

Valley-area companies on the list:

2. Capstone Turbine Corp., Chatsworth 3. Youbet.com, Woodland Hills 4. Nomadix, Westlake Village 6. ValueClick Inc., Westlake Village 8. Netsol Technologies Inc., Calabasas 9. Medi Inc., Thousand Oaks 10. Digital Insight Corp., Calabasas 12. Ixia, Calabasas 17. Broadspire Inc., Mission Hills 18. Internet Specialties West Inc., Agoura Hills 20. Smartsound Software Inc., Northridge 21. Brilliant Digital Entertainment Inc., Woodland Hills 23. Line 6 Inc., Agoura Hills 24. Topaz Systems Inc., Simi Valley 28. North American Scientific Inc., Chatsworth 29. TDK Mediactive Inc., Westlake Village 35. TechnoCom Corp., Encino 39. California Amplifier Inc., Camarillo 41. Power-One Inc., Camarillo 42. THQ Inc., Calabasas Hills 45. Tekelec, Calabasas 46. Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks 47. InfoStreet Inc., Tarzana 48. Qualstar Corp., Simi Valley 49. Optical Communication Products Inc., Chatsworth 50. Diodes Inc., Westlake Village.

Business Journal Reporter Carlos Martinez may be reached by calling [phone] or by e-mail at [e-mail].