What Plx does

PLX Inc., founded in 1955 and headquartered in Deer Park, New York, is a precision optical components manufacturer specializing in monolithic optical structures and hollow retroreflectors. Its core enabling technology is Monolithic Optical Structure Technology (M.O.S.T.), which delivers sub-arc-second accuracy and extreme environmental stability, combined with MEMS-based Active Optics/Beam Steering for real-time target tracking and metrology. The product portfolio spans multiple retroreflector variants (HR, AMHR, ULPR, OWHR, HMHR, USHM), Monolithic Michelson Interferometers, electronic autocollimators, the Orthogonal Laser Metrology Module (O-LAMM), and the Tracking Laser Range Finder (T-LRF), serving military fire-control and boresighting, space-qualified satellite and spectrometer applications, and commercial/industrial metrology and Industry 4.0 use cases.

The company sells primarily through a custom-quote, engineering-consultation B2B model targeting defense primes (Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman), space agencies (NASA/JPL, European Space Agency), and industrial OEM/academic customers. Revenue is generated via one-time unit sales of standard catalog products and professional-services revenue from custom optical engineering, with multi-year contracts and no public pricing. PLX holds ISO 9001 certification and RoHS compliance on select products, and maintains a portfolio of granted and patent-pending mounting designs.

In 2025, PLX and Luxium Solutions became part of Excelitas Technologies, a portfolio company of AEA Investors, positioning PLX within a broader photonics platform. Distribution is supported through CAD/STEP file downloads, technical whitepapers, LinkedIn and YouTube channels, and participation in SPIE and EPIC photonics/defense events. The company operates as a privately held subsidiary with 11-50 employees and global customer reach through direct sales.

Name

Plx

Legal name

PLX Inc.

Website

https://plxinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PLX Inc. is a Deer Park, NY-based precision optical components manufacturer founded in 1955, building monolithic hollow retroreflectors, interferometers, and MEMS-based beam-steering systems for defense primes, space agencies, and industrial metrology OEMs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Optical Components

NAICS

Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Precision optical components
• Hollow retroreflectors
• Monolithic optical structures
• Laser metrology systems
• Beam steering optics

Headquarters

HQ city

Deer Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Precision Optical Components: PLX generates revenue through the sale of precision optical components including Hollow Retroreflectors, interferometers, and related optical instruments. Products are sold as both standard catalog items and custom engineered solutions. The company offers quote-based pricing for custom configurations.
2. Custom Optical Engineering: Revenue generated from custom engineering services and specialized configurations. PLX engineers create custom products for specialized applications including smaller/larger apertures, modified mounts, super-critical accuracies, dielectric mirror coatings for high-powered lasers, and units for military and space environments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PLX manufactures precision optical components and assemblies, primarily hollow retroreflectors and monolithic optical structure-based instruments, for military, space/aerospace, and commercial/industrial applications. Its products deliver sub-arc-second accuracy and operate in extreme environments (high temperature, vacuum, shock, vibration, radiation). The portfolio includes retroreflector series, interferometers, autocollimators, laser metrology modules, and tracking range finders, sold as standard catalog items and as custom-engineered solutions.

Product overview

PLX Inc. is a precision optical technology company offering a comprehensive portfolio of optical components and systems based on hollow retroreflector technology and Monolithic Optical Structure Technology™ (M.O.S.T.). The product lineup includes multiple retroreflector variants (Hollow Retroreflectors™ HR™, All Metal Hollow Retroreflectors™ AMHR, Ultra Low-Profile Retroreflectors™ ULPR™, Omni Wave Hollow Retroreflectors™ OWHR™, Hard-Mount Retroreflectors™ HMHR™, Ultra Stable Hard-Mounted Retroreflectors™ USHM™), interferometers (Monolithic Michelson Interferometers), metrology systems (Electronic Autocollimators, ACT-TSA Total Station Autocollimator, Orthogonal Laser Metrology Module O-LAMM, Tracking Laser Range Finder T-LRF), and supporting optics (Hollow Roof Mirrors™, Hollow Penta Mirrors™, Hollow Beamsplitting Pentamirror™, Ball Mounted Hollow Retroreflectors™, Hollow Retroreflector Arrays™). These products serve military, aerospace, commercial/industrial, scientific, and metrology applications, with core enabling technologies being M.O.S.T. for structural stability and Active Optics/Beam Steering Technology for precision targeting and tracking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hollow Retroreflectors (HR) Flagship hollow retroreflector product line that returns incoming light parallel to its source regardless of physical orientation, used for precision optical alignment and metrology.
• All-Metal Hollow Retroreflectors (AMHR) Metal-constructed hollow retroreflectors designed for high temperatures (>400°C), high magnetic fields, and high radiation environments including nuclear fusion and space applications. Configurable with Copper, Aluminum, Stainless Steel, and Molybdenum.
• Ultra Low-Profile Retroreflector (ULPR) Cutting-edge ultralight compact retroreflector with up to 36% weight reduction versus other PLX retroreflector series, featuring a patent-pending mounting design with compact, sleek appearance and extreme stability over temperature, vibration, and shock.
• Omni Wave Hollow Retroreflector (OWHR) Laboratory-focused hollow retroreflector with patented cushioned mounting providing superior shock resistance and compatibility with all major mounting systems.
• Hard-Mount Retroreflector (HMHR) Invar-mounted hollow retroreflector for critical applications such as Michelson interferometers, offering invariant mirror configuration and extraordinary beam return accuracy. RoHS compliant.
• Ultra Stable Hard-Mounted Retroreflector (USHM) Invar steel-mounted ultra-stable hard-mounted retroreflector providing ultimate shock and vibration resistance, vacuum compatible, and thermally stable for extreme conditions.
• Ball Mounted Hollow Retroreflectors (BMR) Hollow retroreflector mounted on a ball to provide enhanced angular freedom and alignment flexibility for optical systems.
• Hollow Retroreflector Arrays (HRA) Arrays of multiple hollow retroreflectors for applications requiring multiple optical reference points.
• Hollow Roof Mirrors (HRM) Precision hollow roof mirrors used in optical systems requiring compact size and high stability.
• Monolithic Michelson Interferometers Compact Michelson interferometers built using PLX's M.O.S.T. for exceptional stability and sub-arc-second accuracy in metrology and spectroscopy.
• Lateral Transfer Hollow Periscope (LTHP) Hollow periscope designed for lateral light transfer in optical systems.
• Lateral Transfer Hollow Retroreflector (LTHR) Series Hollow retroreflector series enabling lateral beam transfer while maintaining retroreflection properties.
• Rotary Movement Device (RMD) Device for precise rotary movement in optical alignment and metrology applications.
• Hollow Beamsplitting Pentamirror (HBPM) Hollow pentamirror with beamsplitting capabilities for advanced optical systems.
• Hollow Penta Mirrors (HPM) Hollow pentamirror optics for precision optical applications.
• Electronic Autocollimators (including ACT-HR100) High-resolution electronic autocollimators for precise angle measurement and optical alignment, including the ACT-HR100 model.
• ACT-TSA Total Station Autocollimator Total station autocollimator for applications ranging from AR/VR goggles and 3D LIDARs to satellite alignment and optical element inter-alignment with electronic sensors and lasers.
• Orthogonal Laser Metrology Module (O-LAMM) High precision, high repeatability laser metrology module based on PLX's precision beam steering technology and M.O.S.T., providing real-time closed-loop information for adaptive manufacturing and Industry 4.0 applications.
• Tracking Laser Range Finder (T-LRF) Compact high-performance tracking laser range finder using M.O.S.T. and Active Optics technology that locks onto acquired targets and provides real-time 3-dimensional bearing information with sub-arc-second accuracy in harsh conditions; applicable to Counter-UAS use cases.
• PLX Tool Cube (TC) Precision tool cube for optical alignment and metrology applications.
• Custom Optical Engineering Services Custom engineering services for specialized optical configurations including custom apertures, modified mounts, super-critical accuracies, dielectric mirror coatings for high-powered lasers, and units qualified for military and space environments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 36% weight reduction in Ultra Low-Profile Retroreflectors compared to other series
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Excelitas Technologies (AEA Investors)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2025Luxium Solutions and PLX have become part of the Excelitas Technologies group, a company backed by AEA Investors. Luxium, founded in 2022, develops scintillation and photonic crystals and had expanded through acquisitions during ownership by SK Capital and Edgewater Capital. This acquisition positions PLX within a larger optical technology portfolio.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Thorlabs: Thorlabs is a vertically integrated photonics and optical components manufacturer with a massive catalog of mirrors, retroreflectors, interferometers, and metrology instruments serving academic, industrial, and defense labs. Overlaps directly with PLX on hollow retroreflectors, autocollimators, and laser metrology, though Thorlabs competes primarily on catalog breadth and speed rather than extreme-environment qualification.
• Edmund Optics: Edmund Optics is one of the largest suppliers of optical components, lenses, mirrors, and assemblies to industrial, life sciences, and defense markets. Directly comparable to PLX on hollow retroreflector offerings, mirror coatings, and OEM optical assemblies, with stronger catalog/commerce motion but less extreme-environment specialization.
• Zygo (Ametek): Zygo, an Ametek division, manufactures precision optical metrology instruments including interferometers, autocollimators, and surface profilers. Closely comparable to PLX in laser metrology and interferometric components serving aerospace, semiconductor, and metrology OEMs.
• OptoSigma: OptoSigma manufactures optical components, optomechanics, mirrors, and coated optics for laser, semiconductor, and research applications. Directly comparable to PLX in offering mirror-based optical building blocks and beam-steering components, with a strong catalog presence in Asia.

Broad incumbents

• Newport (MKS Instruments): Newport, part of MKS Instruments, supplies precision optics, optomechanics, laser components, and metrology systems to research, semiconductor, and industrial customers. Overlaps with PLX in interferometry, autocollimation, and laser-based metrology, but Newport operates as a broad incumbent across the photonics stack rather than specializing in retroreflectors.
• Jenoptik: Jenoptik is a German photonics group producing precision optical components, laser beam delivery systems, and metrology solutions for semiconductor, medical, and defense applications. Comparable to PLX in aerospace-grade optical assemblies and beam-steering systems, with broader product breadth and stronger European aerospace ties.
• Hamamatsu Photonics: Hamamatsu Photonics is a large Japanese optoelectronics manufacturer producing photodetectors, light sources, and photonic subsystems for industrial, medical, and scientific markets. Comparable to PLX in supplying photonic components to spectroscopy and instrumentation OEMs, though with a focus on active optoelectronics rather than passive retroreflectors.
• II-VI (now Coherent): Coherent (formerly II-VI Incorporated) is a major photonics and compound-semiconductor platform serving industrial, aerospace, and defense markets with laser optics, beam steering, and precision assemblies. Comparable to PLX as a large incumbent pursuing the same defense, laser metrology, and space-qualified optics customers, with substantially greater scale and broader product portfolios.

Others

• Excelitas Technologies: Excelitas Technologies is the parent company that acquired PLX in 2025 and operates a broad portfolio of photonic, sensor, and optical systems for defense, medical, industrial, and scientific markets. Comparable as the acquiring platform whose scale and customer relationships now surround PLX's hollow retroreflector and M.O.S.T. technology.

Emerging players

• Sacher Lasertechnik: Sacher Lasertechnik is a German precision optics and laser technology firm specializing in external cavity diodes, holographic gratings, and laser spectroscopy components. Comparable to PLX in serving FTIR spectroscopy, laser metrology, and scientific instrumentation customers with precision optical subsystems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC95Rhi1uWA4rA00bKDZsOqQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plxinc

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 Plx