McPherson

What McPherson does

McPherson, legally S.I.C. (Scientific Instrument Company) dba McPHERSON, is a privately held specialty manufacturer of high-performance optical spectrometers, monochromators, and integrated spectroscopy systems founded in 1953 and headquartered in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. The company's products span an unusually broad wavelength range from 1 nanometer (soft X-ray) to 78 micrometers (long-wave infrared), incorporating proprietary optical architectures including Seya-Namioka, Czerny-Turner, grazing incidence, and flat-field aberration corrected designs, with vacuum capability to 10⁻¹⁰ Torr. The portfolio is modular — light sources, spectrometers organized by wavelength regime (UV-Vis-IR, Vacuum/VUV, Soft X-ray/XUV), detectors, accessories, and integrated systems — and is supported by manufacturing services including vacuum welding, leak detection, and VUV optical measurement.

Revenue derives primarily from one-time equipment sales ranging from compact units to 20-ton custom instruments for synchrotron facilities, supplemented by recurring accessories, spare parts, contract measurement services, and custom system integration projects. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed for most products; select diffraction gratings and components are listed at $100-$5,200. Sales occur through a worldwide network of independent technical representatives and exclusive distributors — including Titan Electro-Optics covering Greater China and Taiwan with seven regional offices, plus national distributors in Japan, Korea, India, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Central Europe — combined with direct factory sales from Chelmsford for North American custom integration work.

The customer base spans U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories (Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, Argonne, Sandia, Fermilab), NASA centers, the Naval Research Laboratory, NIST, the EPA, and the FDA; elite research universities (MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Cornell, Princeton, Columbia, Max Planck); semiconductor equipment manufacturers (Nikon, Canon, Samsung); pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer, Merck, Abbott, GSK); and industrial firms (3M, GE, IBM, Honeywell). The company has no external institutional investment, no subsidiaries, and no recent M&A activity, operating as an independent, family-influenced specialty manufacturer with continuous product development — including three new product launches in 2020 and ongoing entries into HPLC detectors and ultra-high vacuum monochromators.

Name

McPherson

Legal name

S.I.C. (Scientific Instrument Company)

Website

https://mcphersoninc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

McPherson is a privately held specialty manufacturer of high-resolution optical spectrometers and monochromators covering 1nm to 78μm, serving government laboratories, research universities, semiconductor firms, pharmaceutical companies, and industrial customers worldwide through direct sales and an exclusive global distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Spectroscopy Instruments

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAGAFAB

Machine Vision & Optical Sensing (Cameras, 3D vision, LiDAR, illumination)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Electrical Equipment & Industrial Electronics/Sensors, Instrumentation & Measurement (Industrial sensing, metrology, test)

SECONDARYHDAHALAE

Optical & Light Sensors (Photodiodes/ALS/Color/UV)

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Semiconductors & Electronic Components/Sensors, MEMS & Optoelectronics

SECONDARYHDAHALAL

Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL)

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Semiconductors & Electronic Components/Sensors, MEMS & Optoelectronics

Keywords

• Scientific spectroscopy instruments
• Monochromators and spectrometers
• Vacuum ultraviolet optics
• Soft x-ray light sources
• Optical detector systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Chelmsford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Spectrometer and Monochromator Sales: Core revenue from designing and manufacturing precision optical spectrometers and monochromators across UV-Vis, vacuum UV, and soft X-ray ranges. Products range from compact pocket-sized units to 20-ton instruments for synchrotron facilities.
2. Light Source Systems: Sales of specialized spectroscopy light sources including deuterium lamps, hollow cathode sources, soft X-ray electron impact sources, tungsten halogen, xenon arc, and calibration lamps.
3. Detector Systems: Detector and visualization products including channel electron multipliers, microchannel plate intensifiers, silicon photodiodes, CCD detectors, and photomultiplier tubes optimized for VUV and X-ray detection.
4. Manufacturing Services: Precision fabrication, vacuum welding, assembly, helium leak detection, and RGA certification services for vacuum components and assemblies.
5. Optical Measurement Services: Contract measurement services using VUVAS spectrophotometer for deep and vacuum UV optical characterization of customer samples, including QA/QC and characterization runs.
6. Accessories and Spare Parts: Fiber optic adapters, filter wheels, reflective condensers, telescopes, sample chambers, vacuum accessories, drives, controllers, power supplies, and diffraction gratings for replacement and upgrades.
7. Custom System Integration: Design and build of integrated spectroscopy systems for specific analytical challenges including synchrotron beamline instrumentation, fusion plasma diagnostics, and specialized research applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

McPherson designs, manufactures, and sells precision optical spectroscopy instruments, including monochromators, spectrometers, light sources, and detectors covering wavelengths from 1 nanometer (soft X-ray) to 78 micrometers (long-wave infrared). The company also offers custom system integration, optical measurement services, vacuum welding, and precision manufacturing services for research institutions, government laboratories, semiconductor manufacturers, and pharmaceutical companies worldwide.

Product overview

McPherson is a scientific instrument company founded in 1953, specializing in precision analytical optical dispersion spectrometers and spectroscopy equipment. The product portfolio is organized as a platform of modular components that can be configured for diverse applications: Light Sources (including soft X-ray, EUV, VUV deuterium, tungsten halogen, xenon arc sources), Spectrometers organized by wavelength range (UV-Vis-IR from 185nm-78µm, Vacuum/VUV from 30-20,000nm, Soft X-ray/XUV from <1-310nm), Detectors (solar blind detectors, MCPs, CCDs, photomultipliers, silicon photodiodes), Accessories (fiber optics, filter wheels, reflective condensers, telescopes, sample chambers, vacuum accessories, drives/controllers), and Integrated Spectroscopy Systems (VUV spectrophotometers, spectral test stations, Raman triple spectrometers, remote sensing systems). The company also provides manufacturing services including deep-UV measurements, vacuum welding, scintillator coating, and leak detection. Products range from portable pocket-sized spectrometers to 20-ton instruments, serving semiconductor, research laboratory, fusion plasma diagnostics, aerospace, and pharmaceutical markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Light Sources for Spectroscopy Specialized spectroscopy light sources including the Model 642 soft X-ray source with interchangeable solid anodes and dual balanced output, the Model 629 windowless hollow cathode source for VUV wavelength calibration, deep UV deuterium sources with MgF2 windows, tungsten halogen sources, xenon arc sources, and ceramic IR emitters for research laboratory use.
• UV-Vis-IR Spectrometers and Monochromators Czerny-Turner monochromators and spectrometers for ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelength ranges from 185 nanometers to 78 micrometers, available in focal lengths from 350 millimeters to 2 meters, including the flagship Model 209 1.3-meter focal length high-resolution monochromator with picometer-resolution and snap-in grating capability.
• Vacuum and VUV Spectrometers Vacuum ultraviolet and deep UV monochromators including the Monarch (200 millimeter), Model 225 1-meter autofocus normal incidence, Model 235 Seya-Namioka, and Model 207V covering 30 to 20,000 nanometers. Includes ultra-high vacuum configurations rated to 10E-10 Torr for demanding research applications.
• Soft X-ray and XUV Spectrometers Soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet monochromators and spectrographs including the Model 248/310 Rowland circle grazing incidence design, the Model 251MX flat-field aberration corrected spectrograph with spherical substrate gratings and aspheric wave-front recording, and the XCT grazing incidence Czerny-Turner covering less than 1 to 310 nanometers.
• Detectors for Spectroscopy Detection systems for spectroscopy including the Model 425 soft X-ray and VUV solar blind detector, microchannel plate intensifiers, silicon photodiodes for VUV to greater than 1000 eV, CCD detectors for direct VUV/EUV detection, and photomultiplier tubes for general spectroscopy use.
• Spectroscopy Accessories Supporting equipment for McPherson spectrometers including fiber optic adapters (Models 131, 132, 133), filter wheels (Models 647, 648), reflective condensers (Models 615, 617A), telescopes and collimators from 50 millimeters to 300 millimeters, sample chambers, vacuum accessories, drives, and controllers.
• Integrated Spectroscopy Systems Configured spectroscopy systems including VUV tunable light sources, Vacuum Ultraviolet Absorbance Spectrophotometers (VUVaS) with large sample chambers for semiconductor photomask and optical coating QA/QC, spectral test and calibration stations, triple spectrometers for Raman spectroscopy with rejection edges down to 4 cm-1, remote sensing systems, and spectroscopy workstations for teaching applications.
• Manufacturing and Optical Measurement Services Contract services including precision fabrication, vacuum welding, assembly, helium leak detection, and RGA certification for vacuum components and assemblies, as well as optical measurement services using the VUVaS spectrophotometer for deep UV and vacuum UV optical characterization of customer samples including QA/QC and characterization runs.
• Model 209 High Resolution Monochromator 1.3-meter focal length Czerny-Turner monochromator with 0.1 picometer wavelength step resolution, patented snap-in grating system, focal plane up to 50 millimeters, and ±0.05 nanometer wavelength accuracy for high-resolution UV-Vis to IR applications.
• Model 251MX Flat-Field Spectrometer Aberration corrected flat-field spectrograph for soft X-ray, EUV, and VUV analysis using spherical substrate gratings with aspheric wave-front recording for high-resolution direct detection with MCP or CCD, high vacuum to 10E-6 Torr capability.

Quantifiable outcome

• Spectral resolution down to 0.005 nm with 2400 g/mm grating at 313.1 nm wavelength
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers34 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Titan Electro-Optics Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive distributor covering Greater China (Beijing, Changchun, Chengdu, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Xi'an) and Taiwan (Taipei) with multiple regional offices providing sales, support, and customer service across the territory.
• Tokyo Instruments, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapanese distributor providing sales and support for McPherson spectroscopy products in Japan. Located in Tokyo with full distribution capabilities.
• Dongwoo Optron Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKorean distributor covering the Republic of Korea market with sales and support capabilities.
• Photon LinescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrench distributor covering France with specialized focus on research applications. Located in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
• DHC ConsultingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman representative office providing sales support and consulting services for McPherson products in the German market.
• ATOS Instruments Marketing ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndian distributor covering the Bangalore region and broader Indian market for spectroscopy products.
• LASING, S.A.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpanish and Portuguese distributor covering Iberia region from Madrid headquarters.
• OptiXs, s.r.o.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCzech and Slovak Republic distributor covering Central European market from Prague.
• Princeton InstrumentscoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partnership allowing McPherson spectrometers to be addressed and controlled by Princeton Instruments' LightField 64-bit software. New and legacy McPherson instruments can integrate with Princeton Instruments scientific CCD detectors.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• StellarNet: Designs compact fiber-optic spectrometers and light sources for UV-Vis-NIR applications with strong footprint in teaching labs, OEM, and process monitoring. Smaller-scale direct comparable in modular spectroscopy instruments.
• Andor (Oxford Instruments): Designs and manufactures scientific cameras, spectrographs, and modular spectroscopy solutions for academic and industrial research. Comparable CCD-based spectroscopy systems with similar customer overlap in physics, chemistry, and life-science research labs.
• Spectral Instruments: Specializes in cooled CCD cameras and high-sensitivity spectroscopy imaging systems for astronomy, biomedical, and industrial imaging. Comparable size, customer profile (government labs and academic research), and spectroscopy/detector focus.
• PIKE Technologies: Specialist in FTIR, UV-Vis, and ATR sampling accessories plus integrated spectrophotometers serving pharmaceutical, polymer, and academic labs. Comparable size and focus on spectroscopy accessories/instruments.
• Edinburgh Instruments: Specialized manufacturer of fluorescence/luminescence spectrometers, Raman systems, and UV-Vis-NIR steady-state/time-resolved spectroscopy. Closely comparable size and academic/government-research customer overlap.
• Princeton Instruments: A leading manufacturer of scientific cameras, spectrometers, and light sources for research and OEM applications, including CCDs and spectroscopy software. Has a formal integration partnership with McPherson and an overlapping spectrometer/detector product set, making it the closest direct comparable.

Broad incumbents

• Bruker Optics: Bruker's optical-spectroscopy division supplies FTIR, Raman, and UV-Vis spectrometers serving pharma, semiconductor, and research markets. Broader analytical instruments group but directly comparable spectroscopy product lines.
• Thorlabs: Major photonics components and instruments supplier including spectrometers, monochromators, light sources, and detectors. Much broader catalog than McPherson but overlaps directly on research-grade spectroscopy modules and accessories.
• Newport / MKS Instruments (Oriel): Through its Oriel product line, Newport offers monochromators, light sources, and detectors used in spectroscopy and photonics research. Comparable core products in UV-Vis-IR spectroscopy with a much broader optics and photonics portfolio.
• HORIBA Scientific: Major scientific-instruments division of HORIBA offering spectrophotometers, fluorometers, ellipsometers, and Raman spectrometers across UV-Vis-NIR. Broader portfolio than McPherson but overlaps directly in research-grade spectroscopy equipment for universities and labs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mcphersonvuv
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/McPhersonInc
• Facebookfacebook.com/spectrometers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sic-dba-mcpherson
• Instagraminstagram.com/spectrometermachine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McPherson