Excelitas Technologies lands Research Electro Optics

11 Jul 2018

Acquisitive Excelitas once again expands portfolio and global footprint as a single-source provider for commercial and defense markets.

Excelitas Technologies, a developer of diverse and customized photonic solutions has now completed the acquisition of Research Electro Optics, based in Boulder, CO, USA.

REO is a privately-held company specializing in volume manufacture of precision optical components, thin film coatings, and subassemblies, as well as high-performance HeNe lasers for instrumentation and metrology applications across a range of markets.

Excelitas says that its combination with REO will offer an expanded range of products and capabilities for OEM customers and defense prime contractors seeking single-source reliability for high-performance illumination, optical and detection solutions.

“We are thrilled to welcome REO to the Excelitas family as its products complement our optics portfolio well,” said Excelitas CEO, David Nislick. “REO provides a capable, high-quality optics operation in the United States, which we look to growing with further investment – as we have done with the former Qioptiq facilities in Europe and Asia.”

Coatings and lasers

REO will continue with its full optical coatings and laser technologies operations from its modern facilities in Boulder, CO, as it becomes integrated within the Excelitas Technologies family.

Paul Kelly, President & CEO of REO, commented on the partnership with Excelitas. “This is a very exciting time for REO and its employees as the partnership with Excelitas will enable further investment in people, technology and capabilities.

“The opportunities available to us as a result of the Excelitas's global presence will contribute to our accelerating growth. And the culture embraced by Excelitas will allow REO employees to continue to thrive in their personal and professional lives.”

Private equity groups make Excelitas switch

In December 2017, Excelitas Technologies was itself acquired by the New York-based private equity group AEA Investors. Massachusetts-based Exelitas, part of a group comprising Qioptiq, Cermax, Linos Photonics, and Rodenstock and several other well-known photonics brands, was then bought for an undisclosed sum.

Exelitas’ capabilities range from biomedical technology to research laboratory, safety and security, consumer products, semiconductor, energy and environment, industrial sensing & imaging, defense and aerospace. The company acquired Qioptiq and Lumen Dynamics in 2013 and prior to the acquisition of Research Electro Optics had approximately 6000 employees in North America, Europe and Asia.