Ohara

What Ohara does

Ohara is a 1935-founded Japanese specialty materials manufacturer of precision optical glass, specialty glass ceramics, fused silica, polished substrates, IR materials, and optical crystals, organized as Ohara Inc. (Japan parent) with wholly-owned subsidiaries operating manufacturing facilities in Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, and China, and sales offices in Germany, Hong Kong, and the United States. Its product portfolio spans more than 150 precision optical glass types delivered as blocks, cut blanks, and pressings, plus flagship proprietary materials including CLEARCERAM-Z and E6 ultra-low thermal-expansion glass ceramics used in primary mirrors for flagship astronomical observatories (the Thirty Meter Telescope and Giant Magellan Telescope), LICGC lithium-ion conducting glass-ceramics for solid-state battery electrolytes, i-Line high-homogeneity glass for semiconductor stepper lithography, GD-FHT disks for HDD magnetic-head testing, and SK-1300 fused silica for UV/IR semiconductor optics and high-energy laser applications.

The company monetizes through one-time sales of physical materials via a direct sales model organized around regional sales offices, catalog downloads, and quote-based pricing, with no disclosed SaaS, licensing, or recurring revenue streams. Customer segments are vertical-oriented and span astronomy/space, semiconductor manufacturing, photography/imaging, data storage (HDD testing), battery technology/EV, and lasers/telecommunications. Go-to-market is sales-led through subsidiary offices (US West in Rancho Santa Margarita, US East in Branchburg), with technical documentation and cross-reference tools serving as top-of-funnel content. The firm holds ISO 14001 environmental certification since 2000 and operates as a private, parent-owned enterprise with no disclosed venture or institutional investment.

Name

Ohara

Legal name

Ohara Inc.

Website

https://oharacorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ohara is a 1935-founded Japanese manufacturer of precision optical glass, specialty glass ceramics, and fused silica, supplying astronomy observatories, semiconductor lithography, HDD testing, and solid-state battery developers across a global network of wholly-owned production and sales subsidiaries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Optical Glass Manufacturing

NAICS

Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing (32721)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Optoelectronic / Photonics Foundries (Silicon Photonics/LED/Laser) (HDAHACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Silica (Quartz, Fumed, Precipitated) (IMAEAFAD)

Keywords

• Precision optical glass
• Specialty glass ceramics
• Fused silica materials
• Polished optical substrates
• Lithium-ion conducting ceramics

Headquarters

HQ city

New Jersey

HQ country

Trinidad & Tobago

HQ region

Latin America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Optical Glass and Specialty Glass Products: Sale of precision optical glass, specialty glass, glass ceramics, and optical materials to manufacturers in photography, microlithography, astronomy, telecommunications, and electronics industries.
2. Fused Silica Products: Sale of fused silica materials including SK-1300 for semiconductor optics and high energy lasers.
3. Polished Substrates and Advanced Products: Sale of precision polished substrates, GD-FHT glass disks, WMS materials, and IR materials (germanium, sapphire, CaF2).
4. Solid-State Electrolyte Materials: Sale of LICGC lithium-ion conducting glass ceramics for solid-state battery applications including membranes, powders, and electrolytes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ohara manufactures and sells precision optical glass, specialty glass ceramics, fused silica, and polished substrates to industrial customers. Its catalog covers 150+ optical glass types, ultra-low CTE glass ceramic (CLEARCERAM-Z) for telescope mirrors, lithium-ion conducting glass-ceramic (LICGC) for solid-state batteries, fused silica (SK-1300) for semiconductor optics, and IR/optical crystals for laser and astronomy applications. Products are supplied as blocks, cut blanks, pressings, polished substrates, tubes, and powders.

Product overview

Ohara is a manufacturer of precision optical glasses, specialty glass ceramics, and advanced optical materials. The company's product portfolio centers on optical glass (150+ types of precision optical glass), low-expansion glass ceramics (CLEARCERAM-Z for astronomical applications), lithium-ion conducting glass-ceramics (LICGC for solid-state electrolytes), fused silica, polished substrates, IR materials, and optical crystals. The products serve diverse industries including semiconductor manufacturing (lithography optics), astronomy (telescope mirrors), electronics (hard disk drive testing), telecommunications, and emerging solid-state battery technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CLEARCERAM®-Z: Ultra-low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) glass ceramic used for astronomical telescope mirrors
• LICGC™
• GD-FHT™
• WMS™
• NANOCERAM™
• E6

Products and services

• Optical Glass Comprehensive line of 150+ precision optical glass types supplied as block, cut blanks, and pressings for camera lenses, microscopes, projection systems, and optical components.
• Polished Substrate Glass High-quality, double-side lapped and polished substrates (including fused silica wafers) with extremely low surface roughness and flatness values for optical and semiconductor applications.
• Fused Silica Glass (SK-1300) Fused silica grade SK-1300 offered in UV and IR transmitting forms — blanks, substrates, tubes — for semiconductor optics and high-energy laser systems.
• CLEARCERAM-Z Ultra-low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) glass ceramic material used in astronomical telescope mirrors, including those of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT).
• LICGC (Lithium-Ion Conducting Glass-Ceramic) Lithium-ion conducting glass-ceramic supplied as solid-state electrolyte membranes and PW-01 powder for next-generation solid-state battery development.
• E6 Low Expansion Glass E6 low expansion glass used for primary mirrors in the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and other astronomical applications.
• GD-FHT Glass Disks Finely polished glass disks for flying height testers used in magnetic recording head testing for hard disk drives, with superior electrical properties and ESD protection.
• IR Materials and Optical Crystals Infrared materials (germanium, silicon, zinc sulfide, zinc selenide, sapphire) and optical crystals (CaF2, BaF2, MgF2) supplied as blanks, polished, generated, and finished optics for laser, astronomy, and excimer applications; wide transmission range 0.2–13μm.
• Low Softening Temperature Optical Glass Optical glass types that can be molded at lower temperatures than conventional optical glasses while maintaining the same general optical properties; lead- and arsenic-free for environmentally safe processing.
• Radiation Resistant (Non-Browning) Glass Non-browning optical glass that resists color change in radiation environments such as outer space, supplied as blanks, pressings, and bulk strip material.
• i-Line High Homogeneity Glass Solarization-resistant optical glass with excellent internal transmittance in near-UV (>98% at i-line, 365nm) and outstanding homogeneity, designed for semiconductor stepper cameras and astronomical spectrograph cameras.
• NANOCERAM Advanced glass material with nanoceramic properties positioned for specialized high-performance applications.
• Optical Glass Melt Frequency & Pricing Catalog Downloadable technical and commercial catalog — Optical Glass Cross Reference Sheet, Nd/Vd Glass Chart, and Melt Frequency & Pricing Guide — providing glass selection maps, refractive index/Abbe references, melt availability, and pricing to industrial buyers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Internal transmittance >98% at i-line (365nm) for specialized glass types
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• US-ELTP / Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhara CLEARCERAM-Z ultra low expansion glass ceramic will be used for the TMT primary mirrors. This is a major scientific collaboration for next-generation astronomical observation.
• Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhara E6 low expansion glass will be used for the GMT primary mirrors. GMT is one of the next-generation extremely large telescopes.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• AGC Inc. Japanese glass conglomerate with a specialty glass division serving electronics, automotive, and optics. Overlaps with Ohara in IR materials and certain specialty flat glass grades, though AGC is far broader and less concentrated in optical lens glass.
• Coherent Corp: US-listed photonics and materials company (formerly II-VI) producing IR optics, laser materials, and optical components for semiconductor, defense, and laser applications. Adjacent competitor in IR materials and laser-grade optics supplied to similar end markets.
• Corning Incorporated: US-listed specialty glass and ceramics conglomerate with a broad portfolio including fused silica, semiconductor optics substrates, and glass-ceramics. Larger and more diversified, but competes with Ohara in select semiconductor and specialty optics segments.

Direct peers

• Sumita Optical Glass: Japanese specialty optical glass producer with deep expertise in molded and precision optical glass for cameras, projectors, and laser systems. Highly comparable in product mix and customer base.
• Schott AG: Germany-based global specialty glass giant producing optical glass, fused silica, and glass-ceramics for semiconductor lithography, astronomy, and photonics. The closest direct competitor to Ohara across the optical glass portfolio.
• HOYA Corporation: Japanese specialty glass and photonics company with a large optical glass and blank lens business serving semiconductor lithography and camera lens manufacturers. Head-to-head competitor in many of the same SKUs.
• Nippon Electric Glass (NEG): Japanese specialty glass manufacturer producing optical glass, thin-sheet glass, and glass-ceramics. Overlaps with Ohara in specialty optical and functional glass segments.
• CDGM Glass: China-based optical glass manufacturer with an expanding portfolio of optical and IR glass types. A direct competitor, particularly in commoditized optical glass grades sold to consumer optics and projection customers.

Others

• Edmund Optics: US-based optics distributor and manufacturer of optical components, lenses, and filters. Sits downstream of Ohara in the supply chain, but is a comparable lens into the same end-user base of researchers and OEM optical engineers.

Regional players

• Vitron Spezialwerkstoffe: Germany-based specialty optical and IR glass manufacturer focused on European customers. Comparable product mix in chalcogenide and IR glasses, but smaller scale and geographically limited.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/l3-it

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries8 records

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 Ohara