American Photonics
American Photonics is a US-based manufacturer of precision ZnSe lenses, silicon mirrors, and optical assemblies for CO2 and fiber laser systems (10W to 30,000W), serving industrial manufacturers, small businesses, and hobbyist laser operators through direct e-commerce and OEM-compatible replacement catalogs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersSarasota, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What American Photonics does
American Photonics is a US-based precision optics manufacturer founded in 2005 and headquartered in Sarasota, Florida. The company designs, manufactures, and sells ZnSe laser-grade lenses, silicon mirrors, and related optical assemblies for CO2 and fiber laser systems spanning low-power (10W–500W) engraving and marking applications through high-power (up to 30,000W) industrial metal-cutting systems. Core capabilities include in-house thin-film coating, optical assembly, and quality assurance, with the company explicitly emphasizing 100% US manufacturing and rejection of cheaper Chinese ZnSe inputs. The product catalog covers OEM-compatible replacement optics for ten major industrial laser brands (Trumpf, Amada, Bystronic, Cincinnati, LVD, Mazak, Mitsubishi, Precitec, Prima, Strippit), a dedicated GlowForge sub-brand, K40 upgrade kits, the APCEX line of complete laser machines, and proprietary accessories including a magnetic lens upgrade and alignment tools.
The firm operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model through americanphotonics.com, supplemented by an affiliate program and a distributors page indicating nascent channel expansion. Pricing is per-unit across a wide range from approximately $11 for small accessories to over $500 for high-power focus lenses, with multi-year contracts available for custom coating and manufacturing projects. Customer segments span small business and hobbyist desktop laser users (K40, GlowForge, OMTech, Boss), and industrial manufacturing facilities requiring high-power replacement optics for OEM systems. The company holds DEKRA ISO 9001:2015 certification, ITAR registration, and NIST 800-171 compliance, which collectively enable participation in defense-adjacent contracts and create regulatory barriers against non-US competitors.
Revenue model is hardware sales across components and complete machines, with no subscription or recurring revenue stream evident in the data. The firm is privately held with 1–10 employees, no disclosed funding history, and no parent company, suggesting a bootstrapped operating profile. Strategic posture emphasizes product breadth (CO2 + fiber + complete machines), regulatory credentials (ITAR, NIST), and brand differentiation through domestic manufacturing and proprietary accessories rather than pricing aggression.
American Photonics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- American Photonics
- Legal name
- American Photonics
- Website
- https://americanphotonics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- American Photonics is a US-based manufacturer of precision ZnSe lenses, silicon mirrors, and optical assemblies for CO2 and fiber laser systems (10W to 30,000W), serving industrial manufacturers, small businesses, and hobbyist laser operators through direct e-commerce and OEM-compatible replacement catalogs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
American Photonics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Laser Optics and Photonics Components
- SIC
- Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optics & Laser/Light Engine Components (Lenses, Galvos, Laser Modules, UV Engines) (IMAAAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL) (HDAHALAL)
Keywords
Where American Photonics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sarasota
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
American Photonics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Laser Optical Components Sales: One-time sales of laser optical components including ZnSe focus lenses, silicon mirrors, lens tubes, kits, nozzles, and accessories. Products are sold at various price points ($11 to $750+) with discounts on some items. No recurring subscription model evident.
- APCEX Laser Machines: Sale of proprietary APCEX laser machines including Co2 Laser, Fiber Laser, Tumbler High Speed, and Laser Welding Machine products.
- Custom Manufacturing Services: Provides quotes for custom projects including coatings, manufacturing, and raw materials upon request.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual optical components (lenses, mirrors) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lens and mirror kits |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Accessories (nozzles, alignment tools, cleaning kits) |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project quotes |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
American Photonics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
American Photonics manufactures and sells precision laser optical components — primarily ZnSe focus lenses and silicon mirrors — for CO2 laser systems spanning 10W to 30,000W, alongside lens kits, alignment tools, cleaning products, beam combiners, protective windows, air assist accessories, and complete APCEX laser machines. Offerings are sold direct-to-consumer via the company's e-commerce site with a Request-for-Quote option for custom thin film coating, optical assembly, and raw materials projects.
Product overview
American Photonics is a manufacturer of precision laser optics and accessories, operating as a single unified product line centered on CO2 and fiber laser components. The core portfolio consists of ZnSe focus lenses and silicon mirrors for both low-power (10W-500W) and high-power (up to 30,000W) CO2 laser systems, organized into Low Power and High Power product lines. Supporting these core optics are complementary product categories: lens kits (3-piece, 4-piece, 7-piece) with alignment tools for convenient focal length switching; GlowForge-specific optics (lenses, mirrors, windows) as a dedicated sub-brand; K40 upgrades and machine-specific adaptors; and the APCEX Machines line featuring complete laser systems including galvo, tumbler, fiber, and welding machines. The company also offers cleaning products, protective windows, beam combiners, and air assist accessories. All products are 100% manufactured in the USA with quality certified to ISO 9001:2015 standards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Low Power CO2 Laser Lenses ZnSe laser-grade focus lenses for low-power CO2 laser systems (10W-500W) used in engraving, marking, and cutting applications.
- High Power CO2 Laser Lenses High-quality ZnSe laser-grade focus lenses for high-power CO2 laser systems up to 30,000 watts, compatible with major industrial OEM brands including Trumpf, Amada, Bystronic, Cincinnati, LVD, Mazak, Mitsubishi, Precitec, Prima, and Strippit.
- Silicon Mirrors Silver-coated silicon mirrors with 99.7-99.9% reflectivity for CO2 lasers at 10.6µm wavelength, featuring high durability coatings.
- Lens Kits (3-Piece, 4-Piece, 7-Piece) Pre-configured lens kits with multiple focal length options and alignment tools for easy focal length switching and lens replacement.
- APCEX Laser Machines Complete proprietary laser machines including APCEX Co2 Laser galvo systems, APCEX Tumbler High Speed, APCEX Fiber Laser, and APCEX Laser Welding Machine.
- GlowForge Optics Replacement lenses, mirrors, and windows for GlowForge laser printers, all 100% made in the USA.
- Mirror Alignment Tools Proprietary alignment tools that transform lens and mirror alignment from time-consuming procedures to minutes, compatible with various CO2 laser systems.
- Fiber Laser Components and Machines Fiber laser components including collimating and focusing lenses, protective windows, and fiber laser machines for industrial applications.
- K40 Upgrades and Adaptors Upgrade kits and adaptor solutions for K40, K40+, Cloudray K series, OMTech, and Boss laser systems.
- Lens and Mirror Cleaning Products Cleaning kits with 99% Pure IPA alcohol, lint-free cotton wipes, and cotton Q-tips for lens and mirror maintenance.
- ZnSe Beam Combiners 25mm mounted ZnSe CO2 laser beam combiners at 10.6µm wavelength with adjustable mount for multi-function laser applications.
- Protective Windows Protective windows for laser systems including silver and black window options for OMTech Polar and Gweike Cloud systems.
- Air Assist Adapters and Flow Controls Air assist system components including adapters and flow control valves for optimal laser cutting performance.
- Custom Coatings, Manufacturing, and Raw Materials Custom manufacturing services including custom thin film coatings, optical assemblies, and raw materials supplied via a Request-for-Quote process.
Quantifiable outcome
- Laser performance can exceed original new condition after mirror/lens replacement
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use American Photonics
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
American Photonics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
American Photonics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- DEKRAcoreDEKRA provides ISO 9001:2015 quality management system certification to American Photonics, validating their quality control processes for laser optics manufacturing.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
American Photonics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cloudray: Cloudray is one of the largest direct-to-consumer CO2 and fiber laser parts suppliers, offering ZnSe lenses, mirrors, and accessories. They compete directly with American Photonics in replacement optics for small-format CO2 laser machines at typically lower price points.
- SPT Laser: SPT Laser supplies CO2 laser optics, nozzles, and consumables primarily to the UK and European engraving markets. They overlap with American Photonics in replacement ZnSe lenses, mirrors, and OEM-compatible optics for industrial CO2 systems.
- OMTech: OMTech manufactures affordable CO2 laser engraving and cutting machines targeted at small businesses and hobbyists, the same customer segment American Photonics serves with aftermarket optics. American Photonics explicitly supports OMTech platforms with proprietary LensPro upgrades.
- GlowForge: GlowForge is a consumer/small-business desktop CO2 laser manufacturer whose installed base American Photonics explicitly serves with a dedicated GlowForge optics product line. They compete and complement each other in the hobbyist and SMB laser workflow market.
- Boss Laser: Boss Laser manufactures CO2 laser cutting and engraving machines for SMB and prosumer users, sharing the same end customer as American Photonics. American Photonics explicitly sells K40 and Boss-compatible upgrade kits.
Broad incumbents
- Thorlabs: Thorlabs is a broad incumbent in optics and photonics, manufacturing precision lenses, mirrors, mounts, and laser components across research, industrial, and OEM markets. They cover similar optical technology but serve a much wider portfolio of applications.
- Edmund Optics: Edmund Optics is a major broadline optics manufacturer and distributor, offering laser-grade lenses, mirrors, and coatings across UV, visible, and IR wavelengths. Their IR and laser optic lines overlap with American Photonics' product range while serving many additional end markets.
- II-VI / Coherent: Coherent (formerly II-VI) manufactures ZnSe optics, laser components, and complete laser systems, and is a leading supplier to industrial OEMs including many that American Photonics serves as replacement aftermarket. They represent the dominant scaled incumbent in laser optics manufacturing.
- Laser Components: Laser Components is a broad laser optics and photonics supplier covering laser mirrors, lenses, and specialized coatings for industrial and scientific applications. They overlap with American Photonics' specialty coating and lens capabilities across multiple laser wavelengths.
- MKS Instruments (Spectra-Physics): MKS Instruments, through its Spectra-Physics and Ophir divisions, supplies high-power laser optics, beam delivery components, and optics for industrial and scientific laser systems - directly overlapping with American Photonics' high-power CO2 lens product line.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
American Photonics social profiles
Digital presenceAmerican Photonics compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
American Photonics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
American Photonics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
American Photonics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
American Photonics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about American Photonics
What does American Photonics do?
American Photonics manufactures and sells precision laser optical components — primarily ZnSe focus lenses and silicon mirrors — for CO2 laser systems spanning 10W to 30,000W, alongside lens kits, alignment tools, cleaning products, beam combiners, protective windows, air assist accessories, and complete APCEX laser machines. Offerings are sold direct-to-consumer via the company's e-commerce site with a Request-for-Quote option for custom thin film coating, optical assembly, and raw materials projects.
Is American Photonics a public or private company?
American Photonics is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was American Photonics founded?
American Photonics was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is American Photonics based?
American Photonics is headquartered in Sarasota, United States, in the North America region.
How does American Photonics make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Laser Optical Components Sales are the primary driver. The others are APCEX Laser Machines and custom Manufacturing Services.
Who are American Photonics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cloudray, SPT Laser, OMTech, GlowForge and Boss Laser. Broad incumbents are Thorlabs, Edmund Optics, II-VI / Coherent, Laser Components and MKS Instruments (Spectra-Physics).
Does American Photonics have an API?
No public API is recorded for American Photonics.
What industry is American Photonics in?
American Photonics's product category is Laser Optics and Photonics Components. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAAAIAC, Optics & Laser/Light Engine Components (Lenses, Galvos, Laser Modules, UV Engines), with a secondary code of HDAHALAL, Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL). Its SIC code is 3827.