What Rochester Precision Optics does

Rochester Precision Optics (RPO), LLC is a privately-held, vertically integrated precision optics manufacturer headquartered at 850 John Street in West Henrietta, New York. Founded in 2005 and operating with 101-250 employees, the company designs and produces optical components, sub-assemblies, and electro-optical systems for defense, night vision, thermal imaging, LiDAR/autonomous sensing, and biomedical imaging OEMs. RPO positions itself as the world leader in Precision Glass Molded (PGM) aspheres and as the "Most Trusted Name in Night Vision Optics," serving leading commercial night vision manufacturers and ITAR-regulated government defense programs with MIL-STD-compliant products.

RPO's technology stack spans nine in-house capabilities: Design and Engineering (including ZEMAX and Code V lens design files), Precision Glass Molding with proprietary carbide tooling, Injection Molded Plastic optics, Diamond Turning for MWIR/LWIR aspheres, CNC Ground and Polished fabrication, Machined Parts, Optical Assembly in clean room environments, Electro-Optical Systems Integration, and Thin Film Coating (MgF2 AR through custom multi-layer broadbands). The company also manufactures its own CLASSIC-1 through CLASSIC-6 family of chalcogenide glasses (Ge/As/Se/S/Te compositions) tailored for IR optics, and operates state-of-the-art metrology including Zeiss, Zygo, OGP, Keyence, and Mitutoyo equipment. Core product lines include Ultralight Night Vision Optical Assemblies (claimed as the world's lightest at 24g eyepiece and 38g objective), the 9.1mm F/1.0 athermalized LWIR assembly, precision glass molded standard lenses, and Scratch-Dig Comparators produced to MIL-PRF-13830B.

RPO generates revenue through five streams: sale of precision optical components (glass-molded aspheres, injection molded plastic, diamond turned, CNC ground and polished); optical and electro-optical assembly services; a standard product catalog of laser collimating lenses, molded IR lenses, and Ultralight NV eyepieces/objective assemblies; catalog/e-commerce sales of inspection tools; and design/engineering services for Design for Manufacturing. Distribution combines a direct enterprise sales motion (RFQ system with two-business-day quote turnaround) targeting market-leading manufacturers with an e-commerce storefront at store.rpoptics.com for standard catalog items with tiered quantity-based pricing. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified, ITAR-compliant, and makes a global footprint claim while operating from a single US manufacturing site.

Name

Rochester Precision Optics

Legal name

Rochester Precision Optics, LLC

Website

https://rpoptics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Rochester Precision Optics is a US-based, vertically integrated precision optics manufacturer serving defense, night vision, thermal imaging, LiDAR, and biomedical OEMs. From its West Henrietta, NY facility, it designs and produces glass-molded aspheres, diamond-turned optics, chalcogenide glasses, and electro-optical assemblies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Optics Manufacturing

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Injection Molded Optical & Transparent Parts (Lenses, Light Guides) (IMANAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Optoelectronic Components (LEDs, photodiodes, optocouplers, optical sensors) (IMAGAJAF)

Keywords

• Precision optics manufacturing
• Night vision optics
• Precision glass molding
• Diamond turned optics
• Chalcogenide glass materials

Headquarters

HQ city

West Henrietta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Precision Optical Components: Sale of precision optical components including precision glass molded aspheres, injection molded plastic optics, diamond turned optics, and CNC ground & polished components. One-time purchase model for optical components with volume-based pricing.
2. Optical and Electro-Optical Assembly Services: Vertically integrated optical assembly capabilities including clean room assembly for rapid prototyping, custom-built and high-volume optical assembly, and electro-optical sub-systems integration.
3. Standard Product Catalog: Catalog sales of standard optical component designs including laser collimating lenses, molded infrared lenses, and Ultralight PVS-14 Eyepieces & Objectives. Available in ZEMAX and Code V formats for immediate prototyping.
4. Scratch-Dig Comparator Products: Sale of molded in-house Scratch-Dig Comparators for optical component inspection to MIL-PRF-13830B standards. Sold in quantities with tiered pricing from $159.99/ea (min 10) down to $99.99/ea (100 units) with 250+ custom pricing.
5. Design & Engineering Services: Industry-leading optical and mechanical engineering services supporting Design for Manufacturing (DFM) of visible and infrared optical components and assemblies. Services include specifications development, conceptual designs, optimization, and readiness for full rate production.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rochester Precision Optics is a vertically integrated precision optics manufacturer that designs, prototypes, fabricates, and assembles precision optical components, sub-assemblies, and electro-optical systems. The company serves defense, night vision, thermal imaging, LiDAR, and biomedical imaging OEMs with capabilities spanning precision glass molding, diamond turning, injection molded plastic, CNC grinding/polishing, thin film coating, chalcogenide glass manufacturing, and optical/electro-optical assembly. RPO sells both custom-engineered optical programs and standard catalog products including Ultralight Night Vision assemblies, CLASSIC-series chalcogenide glass, and Scratch-Dig Comparators.

Product overview

Rochester Precision Optics (RPO) is a vertically integrated precision optics manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of optical components, assemblies, and electro-optical systems. The core product lines include Ultralight Night Vision Optics (featuring the Ultralight Eyepiece Assembly, Ultralight Objective Assembly, and 9.1mm LWIR Assembly), Chalcogenide Glass materials (CLASSIC-1 through CLASSIC-6 series), Standard Lenses (precision glass molded collimating lenses and IR elements), and the Scratch-Dig Comparator for optical inspection. These products are supported by extensive in-house manufacturing capabilities including Design & Engineering, Precision Glass Molding, Injection Molded Plastic, Diamond Turning, CNC/Ground & Polished fabrication, Machined Parts, Optical Assembly, Electro-Optical Assembly, and Thin Film Coating services, enabling RPO to deliver solutions from optical design through prototype and full-rate production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ultralight: World's lightest night vision lens assemblies featuring glass and polymer hybrid technology for leading commercial night vision manufacturers.
• The Most Trusted Name in Night Vision Optics

Products and services

• Ultralight Eyepiece Assembly Eyepiece assembly for 18mm Ultralight Night Vision systems, weighing <=24 grams with 25mm eye relief, providing >=85% transmission from 400-680nm, designed for image intensified night vision systems.
• Ultralight Objective Assembly Objective lens assembly for 18mm Ultralight Night Vision systems, weighing <=38 grams, with F/1.0 aperture and high resolution imaging capability for night vision applications.
• 9.1mm LWIR Assembly Long-wave infrared (LWIR) thermal imaging assembly with 9.1mm EFL, F/1.0 aperture, designed for 320x240/12um detectors, featuring optically athermalized design using Classic-6 chalcogenide material with >95% transmission in 8-12um waveband.
• CLASSIC-1 Chalcogenide Glass As40S60 composition chalcogenide glass with extended visible spectrum transmission, equivalent to AMTIR-6, suitable for applications requiring visible alignment; max size 50mm diameter x 90mm length.
• CLASSIC-2 Chalcogenide Glass Ge33As12Se55 composition with tailored optical, thermal, and mechanical properties, equivalent to IRG22, IG2, and AMTIR-1; max size 30mm diameter x 90mm length.
• CLASSIC-3 Chalcogenide Glass Ge30As13Se32Te25 composition with extended infrared transmission, equivalent to IRG23 and IG3.
• CLASSIC-4 Chalcogenide Glass Ge10As40Se50 composition with tailored thermal and mechanical properties, equivalent to IRG24 and IG4.
• CLASSIC-5 Chalcogenide Glass Ge28Sb12Se60 arsenic-free chalcogenide glass with excellent thermal stability for glass molding, equivalent to IRG25, IG5, BD-2 and AMTIR-3 (GASIR-2).
• CLASSIC-6 Chalcogenide Glass As40Se60 composition, the most widely deployed chalcogenide glass for industrial and defense applications, equivalent to IRG26, IG6, AMTIR-2, and GASIR-5; max size 100mm diameter x 100mm length.
• Standard Lenses Precision Glass Molded laser collimating lenses available in multiple standard AR coating configurations, plus standard IR optical elements for immediate order, with ZEMAX and Code V design files available for prototyping.
• Scratch-Dig Comparator In-house molded comparator for inspecting optical components to MIL-PRF-13830B standards, available as standard product (Part Number 2M1524) with certification options, sold in quantities with tiered pricing from $159.99/ea (min 10) down to $99.99/ea (100 units).
• Design and Engineering Services Industry-leading optical and mechanical engineering services supporting Design for Manufacturing (DFM) of visible and infrared optical components and assemblies, including specifications development, conceptual designs, optimization, and readiness for full rate production.
• Optical and Electro-Optical Assembly Services Vertically integrated optical and electro-optical assembly services including clean room assembly for rapid prototyping, custom-built and high-volume optical assembly, and electro-optical sub-systems integration for sensor integration and system level fabrication.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ultralight Eyepiece Assembly weight: <= 24 grams with 85%+ transmission from 400-680nm
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Thorlabs: Vertically integrated US-based manufacturer of photonics products including precision molded and assembled optics, thin-film coatings, and optical assemblies. Directly comparable to RPO in catalog optics, custom optical assemblies, and broad industrial/scientific customer base.
• Edmund Optics: Global supplier of optical components, assemblies, and imaging systems with extensive catalog offerings and custom manufacturing. Comparable to RPO across precision molded optics, coated lenses, and OEM optical assemblies for industrial, biomedical, and defense applications.
• Optimax Systems: US precision optics manufacturer specializing in custom molded and polished optics from prototype through high volume. Closely comparable to RPO's precision glass molding, CNC/polish, and custom optical component capabilities for defense, imaging, and laser customers.
• LightPath Technologies: Manufacturer of precision molded glass aspheres and molded infrared optics, with vertical integration in chalcogenide glass materials. Direct overlap with RPO's PGM asphere leadership, IR optics, and proprietary chalcogenide glass (BD-2/AMTIR-3 class) compositions.
• OptoSigma: Manufacturer and distributor of optical components, lenses, mirrors, and coated optics with catalog and custom offerings. Comparable to RPO in standard and custom precision optics serving industrial, research, and OEM customers.
• CVI Laser Optics: Specialty manufacturer of precision laser optics, thin-film coatings, and mounted optical assemblies. Comparable to RPO in thin-film coating capability, custom precision optics, and OEM assembly supply for laser, defense, and instrumentation customers.

Broad incumbents

• Jenoptik: European photonics conglomerate with significant precision optics, optical systems, and light & optics divisions serving semiconductor equipment, defense, and medical imaging. Comparable as a larger incumbent in the same precision optics and systems integration space as RPO.
• Gooch & Housego (G&H): UK-based photonic components and systems supplier with capabilities spanning precision optics, IR materials, and electro-optical assemblies. Directly relevant peer given overlap with RPO's IR/chalcogenide optics and defense/aerospace customer base.
• Coherent (formerly II-VI): Global photonics and materials platform with significant presence in IR optics, laser components, and defense electro-optical systems. Relevant incumbent peer given RPO's exposure to IR optics, defense end markets, and electro-optical assembly.
• MKS Instruments (Newport): Diversified photonics and equipment platform including Newport optics and motion. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering optical components, assemblies, and subsystems to research, industrial, and OEM customers that overlap with RPO's served markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rochester-precision-optics
• Xx.com/rpoptics

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Rochester Precision Optics