Clearfield® Streamlines its Supply Chain with CraftSmart® Fiber Protection Vault for Underground Deployments

With an innovative, fresh approach to design, Clearfield delivers significant shipping cost savings and eliminates traditional supply chain squeeze

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Clearfield (NASDAQ:CLFD), the leader in community broadband fiber connectivity, today announced the availability of the CraftSmart® Fiber Protection Vault, an innovative, new design that eliminates the current supply chain constraints and delivers a 300% improvement in shipping and inventory space. The innovative design, crafted by Clearfield’s internal design team, allows the vaults to be shipped unassembled and flat packed, which enables shipping multiple vaults per pallet, dramatically saving up to 67% off freight, transportation, handling, and storage costs.

“We have been diligently working to improve our supply chain process so our community broadband customers have the products each need when needed, so they can meet the deadlines and requirements for expanding fiber broadband as part of NTIA BEAD and other federal funding programs,” said Clearfield’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kevin Morgan. “When we decided to bring the design and manufacturing of our new vault in-house, we looked at the opportunity holistically and saw the untapped potential to address the high cost associated with traditional designs by using a fundamentally new approach.”

Clearfield’s CraftSmart Fiber Protection Vault is purpose-built to accept the Clearfield Passive (PON) and Cross Connect cabinets, offering ordering simplicity for Clearfield Cabinet applications, and can be assembled in-field in under five minutes. Initial designs offer the 36”x48”x36” High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Thermoplastic vault with two lid options, a split HDPE lid with cut-out for Clearfield pedestals and cabinets, and a solid split HDPE lid for slack cable storage. The vault also allows operators to mount Clearfield’s new FiberFirst 12” plastic pedestals on the lid. All tools and materials needed for easy assembly in the field are included with the packaging.

Orders for the CraftSmart Fiber Protection Vault can be placed starting now. More information on the CraftSmart Fiber Protection Vault can be found on the data sheet, this video and at www.SeeClearfield.com.

About Clearfield, Inc.

Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery solutions that play a critical role in enabling broadband operators to close the digital divide. Our labor lite, craft-friendly platform is leveraged by community broadband, MSOs, incumbent service providers, ISPs, data centers, military, municipalities, and coops - from homes passed to homes connected faster and more efficiently. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240122343717/en/

Autumn Minnich

Connect2 Communications for Clearfield, Inc.

clearfield@connect2comm.com

570.294.6750

Source: Clearfield, Inc.