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Sofradir and ULIS become Lynred

05 Jun 2019

By streamlining operations, Lynred will accelerate delivery of new detection technologies to market.

Daphnis MW HD compact high sensitivity detector for 16:9 format MW IR systems.

Daphnis MW HD compact high sensitivity detector for 16:9 format MW IR systems.

Sofradir and its subsidiary ULIS have announced their merger and new company name: Lynred. The company has been created to "respond to a need for an all-inclusive infrared products for the global aerospace, defense, industrial and consumer markets."

Prior to the reformation, Sofradir, based in Châtenay-Malabry, France, has designed and manufactured a range of infrared detectors for military, space and commercial applications. The company’s shareholders are Thales, Sagem and Areva.

The Lynred launch statement said, "In response to increasing market requirements, the company has attained a critical mass geared to shortening the time-to-market process of new products. Its US entity remains a subsidiary and has been renamed Lynred USA."

Lynred is the new identity, under which its 1,000 staff will provide a wide range of advanced IR technologies to global markets, assure a long-term and reliable product supply and accompany client projects with the best possible IR design and equipment integration support.

'Competitive market'

Jean-François Delepau, chairman of Lynred, commented, “Lynred will enter the market with a new vision for the future in an increasingly competitive market, which has seen the number of players double over the past five years.

“We are the established European leader in infrared technologies. Now, Lynred will give us more punching weight in R&D and increased visibility within the IR ecosystem. Thanks to the commitment of our employees in forming Lynred and increased support from our partners, we will be able to offer new attractive solutions to our customers.”

Lynred says it is "actively pursuing growth" in this market. The world military infrared imaging systems market was estimated at $8.5 billion (approx. €7.6bn) in 2018 and is expected to grow to $14 billion (approx. €12.5bn) in 2023.

Extrapolated market data also indicate that the market for cameras for industrial and consumer applications has the potential to increase from $2.9bn (approx. €2.6bn) to $4.1 bn (€3.7bn) over the same period. This would equate to a global potential annual market growth rate of around 10% at camera and system level.

Development plans

Lynred says it will advance developments of next generation IR detectors with the €150 million ($167.4M) financial investment it is making in the Nano2022 project over the next five years. These IR devices will be designed to address trends in autonomous systems for smart buildings (workspace management, energy savings), road safety and in-cabin comfort of vehicles.

Other developments also include the very large dimension IR detectors needed for space and astronomy observations as well as compact and light IR detectors for portable devices and on drones. The company will continue enlarging its product catalog, strengthening its R&D investments and hiring in support of activities.

The Lynred launch statement added, "The Group’s products are already at the center of multiple military programs and applications. Our IR detectors are the key component of many top brands in commercial thermal imaging equipment sold across Europe, Asia and North America. The organization is the leading European manufacturer for IR detectors deployed in space."

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