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05 Mar 2025
Vertically integrated optics manufacturer attracts combination of customer support and private investment.
Rochester Precision Optics (RPO) says that it has secured a $50 million financial commitment to enhance its development and manufacturing capabilities, with plans to invest in technical capabilities, new staff, and automation.
The company, a vertically integrated provider of optical solutions with expertise ranging from diamond turning and thin-film coatings to night-vision optical assemblies, announced in a LinkedIn post that the strategic commitment would drive advances across all aspects of its operations.
Dan Fiore, RPO’s director of business development and marketing, told optics.org: “The funding is partially private and partially customer promised, based on a future program we have won a contract for. The goal of the funding is to increase technical capabilities and staffing as well as support automation initiatives.”
Competitive edge
RPO says that the support will enable it to further compete with international manufacturers across security, industrial, medical, and critical product sectors.
“With this investment, RPO is focused on scaling production capacity, advancing optical technology innovation, and expanding its highly skilled workforce,” announced the firm.
“With this commitment, RPO is actively seeking talented individuals who are ready to take on the challenges of high-precision optical manufacturing that contribute to critical optical applications which demand superior quality and performance.”
Company president Mike Davenport added: “This investment is a significant step forward in our mission to solidify RPO as a global leader in optics manufacturing.
“By enhancing our capabilities and attracting top-tier talent, we are not only strengthening our competitive edge but also ensuring that our customers across industry segments have access to the highest-quality optical solutions that will assure their continued success.”
Germanium alternative
News of the financial support comes a month after RPO introduced its “CLASSIC-6” chalcogenide infrared optical glass in wafer formats up to 200 mm in diameter.
The material, which offers high transmission across the mid-wave and long-wave infrared (MWIR and LWIR) spectral regions, provides optics companies in the US with an alternative to using germanium, which has become increasingly difficult to source since December 2024 when China, by far the largest exporter of the material, banned sales to US companies.
“CLASSIC-6’s availability in diameters up to 200 mm enhances its versatility, meeting the demands of larger optical components and addressing the market’s need for germanium alternatives,” said Davenport at the time, with RPO noting a “sizeable uptick” in inquiries for the alternative infrared material following the China ban.
• RPO is currently advertising for several positions at its headquarters in West Henrietta, New York. For details visit the firm's careers page.
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