Lynred
Lynred is a French infrared detector manufacturer formed from the 2019 merger of Sofradir and ULIS. It produces IR sensors spanning SWIR to VLWIR for defense, space, automotive, and industrial OEMs, supported by 500+ patents and 15% R&D reinvestment.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersVeurey-voroize, France
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Lynred does
Lynred is a French privately-held infrared (IR) detector manufacturer, formed in its current structure through the 2019 merger of legacy firm Sofradir (founded 1986) and ULIS, and headquartered in Veurey-Voroize, France. The company designs and manufactures high-performance IR detector arrays and thermal imaging modules spanning the full infrared spectrum — SWIR, MWIR, LWIR, and VLWIR — using five distinct semiconductor technologies: Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT), Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs), InGaAs/GaAsSb (IGN), Type-II Superlattice (T2SL), and Microbolometer. With a portfolio of 44 product families protected by 500+ active patents, Lynred serves eight strategic markets: defense, space, drones/UxS, security and surveillance, hunting and leisure, environment, automotive and mobility, and machine vision.
The company's core product line consists of IR detector arrays and imaging modules that system integrators and OEMs embed into thermal cameras for defense, aerospace, automotive, and industrial applications. Lynred maintains end-to-end manufacturing capability at its Veurey-Voroize headquarters, with quality management systems certified to ISO 9001, EN 9100, ISO 14001, and IATF 16949. The company allocates approximately 15% of revenue to R&D annually and has developed AI-adjacent assets including the LYNRED Mobility Dataset, the LYNRED Toolbox for IR system developers, an automotive digital twin, and an LWIR-based pedestrian detection capability reporting a 36% improvement in average precision. It also partners with Université Grenoble Alpes through the Deep Red Industrial Chair on AI for infrared data.
Lynred operates a B2B enterprise hardware business model, selling IR detector arrays and modules to defense contractors, space agencies, automotive OEMs, and industrial system integrators. Pricing is quote-based and contract-negotiated, typical for specialized defense and aerospace components. Distribution is conducted through direct sales from the French headquarters and two wholly-owned subsidiaries: LYNRED USA in New Jersey, and NIT (New Imaging Technologies) in France for SWIR products following its October 2024 acquisition. Notable customer relationships include Thales Alenia Space, with whom Lynred completed a 20-year space program contract in 2024 representing the company's largest space contract, and Z3 Technology for AI-enabled surveillance system integration. The company also maintains a Chinese subsidiary presence (lynred.cn) for regional distribution.
Lynred firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lynred
- Legal name
- LYNRED
- Website
- https://lynred.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Lynred is a French infrared detector manufacturer formed from the 2019 merger of Sofradir and ULIS. It produces IR sensors spanning SWIR to VLWIR for defense, space, automotive, and industrial OEMs, supported by 500+ patents and 15% R&D reinvestment.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lynred industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Infrared Detection and Thermal Imaging
- NAICS
- Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optical & Light Sensors (Photodiodes/ALS/Color/UV) (HDAHALAE)
Keywords
Where Lynred is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Veurey-voroize
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Lynred business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Infrared Detectors and Modules: LYNRED designs, manufactures and sells high-performance infrared detectors and modules for thermal imaging systems. Product families include cooled detectors, microbolometers, and camera cores sold to defense, aerospace, and commercial customers worldwide.
- R&D Investment: The company invests 15% of its revenue in R&D annually, developing next-generation infrared technologies. This supports continuous product innovation and maintains technological leadership in the infrared sensor market.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Lynred product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lynred designs, manufactures, and sells infrared (IR) detectors and thermal imaging modules, including cooled MCT detectors, uncooled microbolometers, and SWIR sensors. The company serves integrators and OEMs across defense, aerospace, automotive, security, and industrial machine vision markets with 44 product families backed by over 500 active patents.
Product overview
LYNRED offers an end-to-end range of infrared imagers spanning the entire infrared spectrum (SWIR, MWIR, LWIR, and VLWIR) through five different technologies (MCT, InGaAs, IGN, T2SL, and Microbolometer). The product portfolio includes three main families: cooled detectors, microbolometers/uncooled detectors, and modules/cores. Key product lines include the PlugUp platform (GALATEA MW SL, SEEGNUS MW SL, ARGO MW SL, DRACO MW SL, ATI variants), ATI modular cores (ATI640, ATI640S, ATI320), the YOCTO family of compact microbolometers, SIROCCO SWIR detectors, and specialized products for space, optical gas imaging, and defense applications. The company serves eight strategic markets: Defense, Space, Drones, Security & Surveillance, Hunting & Leisure, Environment, Automotive & Mobility, and Machine Vision.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- YOCTO: Ultra-compact microbolometer family - YOCTO1024 offers compact thermal sensor with high-resolution image
- DRACO
- ARGO
- SIROCCO
- GALATEA
- EOLE
- SEEGNUS
- DAPHNIS
- ATTI
- EYESENTIAL
- ATTO
- PICO
- NIT (New Imaging Technologies)
- PlugUp
Products and services
- YOCTO Family of Uncooled Microbolometers A range of uncooled infrared microbolometer detectors (e.g., YOCTO1024) optimized for size, weight, and power (SWaP) constrained applications such as drones, handheld thermal imagers, and OEM camera modules. Sold to system integrators and OEMs.
- PlugUp Platform - Cooled MWIR Detectors A platform of cooled mid-wave infrared (MWIR) detectors based on MCT technology including GALATEA MW SL, SEEGNUS MW SL, ARGO MW SL, and DRACO MW SL formats. Designed for high-performance thermal imaging in defense, space, and surveillance programs.
- ATI Thermal Imaging Cores
Quantifiable outcome
- 36% improvement in average precision for pedestrian detection in total darkness
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Lynred
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Lynred technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability2 records
Feature5 records
Lynred partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Z3 TechnologycoreZ3 Technology developed the CIB-ATI640 Camera Interface Board designed for seamless integration with LYNRED ATI640 advanced shutterless thermal imaging module. The board supports LVDS digital video and MIPI CSI-2 outputs and enables connection to Z3's low-SWaP embedded encoders with AI capabilities for surveillance and unmanned operations.
- Thales Alenia SpacecoreThales Alenia Space is a key space customer for Lynred's infrared detectors. Lynred concluded its largest space contract following delivery of final infrared detector flight models to Thales Alenia Space, marking completion of a 20-year program.
- Photonics21minorLynred is an active member of Photonics21, contributing to the goal of consolidating a sovereign photonics and infrared industry in Europe.
- ESA and CNEScoreLynred participates in programs spearheaded by European Space Agency (ESA) and French space agency CNES, contributing to European space infrared imaging capabilities.
- Université Grenoble Alpes INP FoundationminorLynred funds the Deep Red Industrial Chair in partnership with Université Grenoble Alpes' INP Foundation, focused on processing and analyzing infrared data with artificial intelligence. Chair is financing two theses on visible/infrared image fusion and AI-powered methods for analyzing infrared sequences.
- IPCEI on Microelectronic TechnologiesminorLynred participates in the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) on microelectronic technologies with ambition of strengthening continental industrial independence.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Lynred competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris produces infrared focal plane arrays and integrated thermal imaging systems for military and aerospace applications, overlapping with Lynred in cooled MWIR/LWIR detectors and in space- and defense-grade IR sensing programs.
- Teledyne FLIR: Teledyne FLIR is the dominant Western manufacturer of cooled and uncooled infrared detectors and thermal imaging cameras for defense, industrial and commercial markets — directly comparable to Lynred across the same MCT and microbolometer technology stack and serving the same OEM integrator base.
- Xenics: Xenics is a Belgian SWIR sensor and camera manufacturer specializing in InGaAs and T2SL shortwave infrared modules — directly comparable to Lynred's NIT SWIR portfolio and competing for European machine-vision, security and hyperspectral imaging customers.
- Excelitas Technologies: Excelitas manufactures a broad portfolio of photonic sensors including thermal IR detectors and modules for defense, aerospace and industrial customers — comparable to Lynred in MWIR/LWIR thermal detection and OEM integration supply.
- Sensors Unlimited (Collins Aerospace / RTX): Sensors Unlimited is a US leader in SWIR InGaAs cameras and detectors serving defense and industrial markets — directly comparable to Lynred's NIT-acquired SWIR HD1080p product line and the closest US counterpart in shortwave infrared imaging.
- Leonardo DRS: Leonardo DRS designs and manufactures infrared sensors and detector arrays for US and allied defense platforms, directly overlapping with Lynred's cooled and uncooled detector portfolio for surveillance, targeting and naval applications.
- SemiConductor Devices (SCD): SCD is an Israeli specialist in cooled and uncooled IR detectors based on InSb, MCT and T2SL technology — directly comparable to Lynred's cooled MWIR/LWIR offerings and frequently a competitor on the same Western defense thermal-imaging programs.
Emerging players
- Infrared Integrated Systems (Irisys / Fluke): Fluke (including the Irisys thermal-imaging line) is a US-based emerging thermal-imaging player using Lynred-detector-class microbolometers for industrial condition monitoring, building inspection and gas leak detection — overlapping with Lynred's machine-vision, environment and OGI end-markets.
Broad incumbents
- Thales: Thales is both a key Lynred customer (Thales Alenia Space) and a broader defense-electronics prime that integrates infrared sensors into its own thermal imaging and surveillance systems, competing at the system level for many of the same defense programs.
- Hamamatsu Photonics: Hamamatsu is a Japanese photonics manufacturer producing infrared detectors (including InGaAs and MCT) for scientific, industrial and automotive use — a broad incumbent in the same IR sensor market that overlaps with Lynred's SWIR and MWIR detector product families.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lynred social profiles
Digital presenceLynred compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Lynred financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lynred leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Lynred subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Lynred funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lynred M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lynred
What does Lynred do?
Lynred designs, manufactures, and sells infrared (IR) detectors and thermal imaging modules, including cooled MCT detectors, uncooled microbolometers, and SWIR sensors. The company serves integrators and OEMs across defense, aerospace, automotive, security, and industrial machine vision markets with 44 product families backed by over 500 active patents.
Is Lynred a public or private company?
Lynred is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Lynred founded?
Lynred was founded in 1986. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Lynred based?
Lynred is headquartered in Veurey-voroize, France, in the Europe region.
How does Lynred make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Infrared Detectors and Modules are the primary driver. The others are R&D Investment.
Who are Lynred's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are L3Harris Technologies, Teledyne FLIR, Xenics, Excelitas Technologies, Sensors Unlimited (Collins Aerospace / RTX), Leonardo DRS and SemiConductor Devices (SCD). Infrared Integrated Systems (Irisys / Fluke) is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Thales and Hamamatsu Photonics.
Does Lynred have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lynred.
What industry is Lynred in?
Lynred's product category is Infrared Detection and Thermal Imaging. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHALAE, Optical & Light Sensors (Photodiodes/ALS/Color/UV). Its NAICS code is 334519 and its SIC code is 3823.