Sumita Optical Glass

Name

Sumita Optical Glass

Legal name

株式会社住田光学ガラス

Website

https://sumita-opt.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Optical Components Manufacturing

NAICS

Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing (32721), Other Pressed and Blown Glass and Glassware Manufacturing (327212)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Glass & Glassware, Pressed Or Blown (3220)

akta.pro primary industry

Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs) (HDAHAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Optical glass materials
• Precision molded lenses
• Optical fiber components
• Specialty functional glass
• Medical endoscope components

Headquarters

HQ city

Saitama

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Optical Glass Materials: Sale of optical glass materials including standard compositions and specialty glasses for lenses and optical elements. Products include optical glass materials, preforms for precision molding, polished balls, pressed blanks, and cut bar products.
2. Functional Specialty Glass: Sale of specialty glasses with advanced functions including IR transmitting glass, NIR absorptive filters (SC504, SC807 series), Lumilass fluorescent glass, YAGLASS-T nanocrystal-containing glass, phosphorescent glass, Faraday rotator glass, and LATP-Ag antibacterial agent.
3. Fiber Optic Components: Multicomponent glass optical fibers, fiber optic bundles, light guides, LED light sources, and peripheral equipment for medical and industrial applications.
4. Precision Molded Lenses: Aspheric lenses, microlens arrays, cylindrical lenses, fly's eye lenses, and ultra-micro lenses manufactured using precision glass molding technology.
5. Medical Device Components: Endoscope parts including image guides, lenses, light guides, and endoscope modules for medical and industrial endoscopy applications.
6. SELAPath Battery Material: LATP-based oxide solid electrolyte material for lithium-ion secondary batteries and all-solid-state batteries.
7. Consigned Melting Services: Custom glass melting and material development services based on customer specifications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sumita Optical Glass manufactures and sells optical glass materials (over 200 types), specialty functional glasses (IR-transmitting, fluorescent, Faraday rotator, phosphorescent, antibacterial), multicomponent glass optical fibers, light guides, image bundles, precision molded aspheric/cylindrical/microlens lenses, and finished endoscope modules. They also produce LATP-based SELAPath solid electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries and UV sterilization devices. Custom glass melting services and MRF finishing are offered as consigned manufacturing services.

Product overview

SUMITA Optical Glass operates as a comprehensive optical glass and photonics manufacturer, offering an integrated portfolio spanning optical glass materials, specialty functional glasses, optical fibers and fiber optic components, precision molded lenses, lens units, and optical devices. The core offering consists of optical glass materials (200+ types) and preforms for precision molding, supported by finishing services (MRF polishing, consigned melting). Specialty functional glasses include IR transmitting glasses (K-GIR140, K-GIR79), UV-IR transmitting glasses (K-FIR98UV, K-FIR100UV), NIR absorbing filters (SC 504/SCM 504, SC 807 series), fluorescent glasses (LUMILASS), nano-crystalline YAGLASS-T, phosphorescent glasses (G2000/R2000), Faraday rotator glass (VR1000), and the antibacterial LATP-Ag agent. The fiber optic portfolio covers bare fiber types (SOG series, SOP plastic, ST UV, SOQ quartz), light guides (straight, lock-type, multi-branch, line, ring, surface-emitting), LED light sources (LS-L150, LS-L109, LS-LH150), condenser lenses, transmission lights, and multimode optical cables. Precision lens products include aspheric lenses (φ1 to 30mm+), microlens arrays, mirror-integrated microlens arrays, cylindrical lenses, fly's eye lenses, and ultra micro lenses (down to φ0.35mm). Small lens units serve the endoscope market. Optical devices include laser pointers, line lasers, and polyhedral optical modules. New products include SELAPath solid electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries, UV-300K industrial UV sensors, ASM-100S air sterilizers, HD-200S deep UV pulse sterilization devices, and ultra-thin fiberscopes (φ1mm or less). Applications span industrial equipment, automotive, water treatment, laser, IR, inspection/measurement, optical communication, and medical devices. SUMITA maintains in-house development through manufacturing with production facilities in Saitama and Fukushima, Japan, and subsidiaries in Germany and China.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SELAPath (セラパス): Lithium-ion secondary battery oxide solid electrolyte material; a LATP-based product for all-solid-state batteries.
• Lumilass
• YAGLASS-T
• G2000/R2000
• K-GIR Series
• LATP-Ag
• HD-200S
• ASM-100S

Products and services

• Optical Glass Materials Optical glass materials used for lenses and other optical elements, including high-refractive-index and low-melting-point glasses suited for press molding. Over 200 product types manufactured in-house.
• Preforms for Precision Molding Preform materials (gob or polished balls/near-R shapes) optimized for Tg and yield point for precision molding of aspheric and specialty lenses.
• Polished Balls High-sphericity polished balls (φ1.2 to 20mm) with sphericity tolerance ±0.005mm and mirror-finish surface for optical fiber focusing, coupling, and collimation.
• MRF Magneto-Rheological Finishing Service Magneto-rheological finishing service for final polishing and correction of high-precision optical components (φ10 to φ80mm) using spiral or raster polishing methods.
• IR Transmitting Glass (K-GIR140, K-GIR79) Infrared transmitting glasses (K-GIR140: nd=1.75106; K-GIR79: nd=1.85920) with high transmittance from visible to mid-infrared, isotropic and weather resistant.
• NIR Absorptive Filter (SC 504/SCM 504) Near-infrared absorbing filters (SC 504/SCM 504) for correcting CCD/CMOS spectral sensitivity to human visual response, with high chemical durability and moisture resistance.
• ASM-100S Air Sterilizer Air sterilizer using deep UV pulse light (265nm wavelength); triple-layer filter (dust/odor/photocatalyst); 99.9% sterilization rate for aerosol infection measures.
• HD-200S Deep UV Pulse Sterilization Device Deep UV pulse sterilization device using high-energy 265nm UV light; chemical-free, 99.99% sterilization rate; compact, rechargeable; effective against coronavirus and influenza A virus.

Quantifiable outcome

• Monthly optical fiber production capacity of 500,000 km
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hoya Corporation: Tokyo-listed Japanese optical glass manufacturer with a leading position in optical glass blanks, photomask substrates, and contact lenses. Direct competitor to Sumita in optical glass materials for lenses, with much larger scale and broader product portfolio across consumer and industrial optics.
• Ohara Corporation: Japan-based specialty optical glass manufacturer producing glass materials, molded lenses, and low-expansion glass-ceramics. Closely comparable to Sumita in optical glass materials, precision molded aspheric lenses, and end-market exposure to cameras, projectors, and semiconductor lithography.
• CDGM Glass Company: China-based optical glass manufacturer with broad portfolio of optical glass types, similar to Sumita in core optical glass materials. A cost-competitive Asian competitor particularly relevant as Sumita expands its China sales footprint through its Dongguan subsidiary.
• Fujikura Ltd. Japanese fiber optic, electronics, and specialty materials manufacturer with strong presence in optical fiber and fiber optic components. Comparable to Sumita in multicomponent glass optical fibers, fiber optic bundles, and light guides for industrial and medical applications.

Broad incumbents

• Schott AG: German specialty glass manufacturer with extensive portfolio in optical glass, pharmaceutical glass, and electronics. Comparable to Sumita in optical glass materials and IR-transmitting glasses (e.g., Schott's IRG series), and competes with Sumita's LATP-based antibacterial glass ceramics in specialty applications.
• Corning Incorporated: Global specialty glass and ceramics leader with significant presence in display glass, optical fiber, and life sciences. Comparable to Sumita in optical fiber manufacturing scale and specialty glass materials, with substantially larger R&D resources and a more diversified end-market footprint.
• Nippon Electric Glass (NEG): Japanese specialty glass manufacturer producing glass for displays, optical devices, and electronics. Comparable to Sumita in functional specialty glasses (e.g., IR-absorbing and IR-transmitting) and precision glass components, with much broader exposure to consumer electronics and display applications.

Others

• Edmund Optics: US-based global supplier of optical components including lenses, filters, and fiber optics. Comparable to Sumita as a B2B optical components supplier, though Edmund is primarily a distributor/catalog model versus Sumita's custom manufacturer model. Overlaps in aspheric lenses, optical filters, and fiber optic components.
• Thorlabs: US-based vertically integrated photonics manufacturer and distributor offering optical components, fiber optics, and laser products. Comparable to Sumita in fiber optic components, aspheric lenses, and laser-related optics, with a much broader catalog but less specialization in custom molded optics.

Regional players

• Olympus Corporation: Japan-based global leader in medical and industrial endoscopes. Comparable to Sumita as a customer and adjacent player in medical endoscopy — Sumita supplies image guides, lenses, and endoscope modules that can integrate into Olympus-style endoscope systems, while also competing in industrial fiberscope applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAG18A5fTzmPJLzW3PTnVbQ

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 Sumita Optical Glass