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30 Apr 2025
France-headquartered firms both report strong increases in demand amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Lumibird and Exosens, two of the largest photonics companies in France, have each reported a solid increase in sales revenues - thanks in large part to rising demand for defense-related products.
Lannion-headquartered Lumibird said that its total sales revenues rose 12 per cent year-on-year, to €49.4 million in the opening quarter of 2025.
As usual, those revenues were split fairly evenly between the firm’s photonics and medical divisions, with photonics up 16 per cent to €23.9 million, and medical up 9 per cent to €25.5 million.
But it was the defense and space element driving all of those gains within the photonics division, with sector sales up 38 per cent, to €10.5 million.
Minor tariff impact on lasers
Among Lumbird’s main offerings in the defense area are laser rangefinders manufactured by the former Saab division acquired in 2022. Approved for use in naval, land and airborne applications, the devices are based around a solid-state laser source that delivers a high repetition rate at 1.5 µm to track fast-moving targets.
Lumbird’s geographical breakdown suggests that much of the defense and space momentum was generated from Europe, where photonics division sales rose 16 per cent year-on-year, to €13.8 million. In contrast, medical sales to Europe declined by 6 per cent over the same period, to €7.6 million.
The firm’s sales to the Americas region also jumped by more than 50 per cent, although that was attributed largely to the recent acquisition of the Continuum brand of scientific lasers.
Lumibird also said that it does not expect any significant impact resulting from the stop-start introduction of US import tariffs and retaliatory actions elsewhere.
“The Group manufactures its products in Europe, Australia and the US,” it explained. “Only products manufactured in the US and sold in China, and components purchased in China for manufacture in the US, will be affected by the increase in tariffs.
“These products represent small volumes and are mainly solid-state lasers, for which the Group also has a range manufactured in Europe.”
Night vision demand at Exosens
Meanwhile Bordeaux-headquartered Exosens - previously known as Photonis - saw its sales revenues climb 21 per cent year-on-year in the opening quarter of 2025, reaching €105 million and “fully on track” to meet its financial targets this year.
Like Lumibird, that increase was driven by defense-related applications. More specifically, demand for image intensifier tubes used by NATO and its allies - notably in eastern and northern Europe - for night vision applications.
That pushed the firm’s “Amplification” division’s revenue figure up 29 per cent year-on-year, to €81.7 million.
And although Exosens also reported something of a blip in revenues from its recently acquired Telops infrared camera business in Canada, growth is expected to resume throughout the rest of 2025 amid solid underlying demand and the addition of mid-infrared (MWIR) imaging specialist Noxant just a month ago.
“Telops was temporarily impacted by US tariff uncertainties and reductions in federal science funding, which resulted in softer demand from US customers, as well as by delays in securing certain export licenses,” stated the company.
MWIR drone capability
Exosens CEO Jérôme Cerisier commented: “Regarding our defense-related activities, demand remains high amid increasing geopolitical tensions and sustained investment from NATO countries and Tier-1 allies.
“This solid start [to] the year demonstrates the strength of our positioning and our ability to execute. Amplification continues to be a key growth engine, supported by accelerating demand and increased capacity, while our Detection & Imaging segment is on track to deliver solid like-for-like growth, progressively improving over the course of the year.”
Last month Exosens announced that it would be investing a combined €20 million in Europe and the US over the next two years to increase its production capacity for night vision technology, including establishment of the company's first US manufacturing site for image intensifier tubes.
That new installation will be at the firm's existing Sturbridge, Massachusetts, site, the location of its Photonis Scientific Inc subsidiary.
The recent addition of Noxant and its range of high-performance MWIR cooled camera cores is expected to provide complementary capabilities for drone-based defense and surveillance applications requiring camera integration.
Exosens is expanding further in that area, with its pending acquisition of Night Vision Laser Spain (NVLS), a specialist in man-portable night vision and thermal devices, expected to complete before the end of June.
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