Industrial Fiber Optics

What Industrial Fiber Optics does

Industrial Fiber Optics, Inc. (IFO) is a privately held Arizona S-corporation, founded in 1990 and headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, that manufactures and distributes polymer optical fiber (POF) and large-core silica (HCS) optical fiber cable assemblies, connectors, light pipes, sensor cables, LEDs, photodetectors, tools, and educational products. The company operates an ISO 9001:2015-certified facility with 10k and 100k cleanrooms, in-house prototyping capabilities including stereolithography 3D printing, and a catalog of over 9,000 standard configurations across fiber diameters, connector types (SMA 905/906, ST, FC, Versatile Link, Trim Trio), and cable constructions. IFO serves ten primary end markets — aerospace, industrial automation, sensing, medical/laboratory, energy, automotive, transportation, communications, consumer electronics, and education — and holds authorized distributor or reseller relationships with Asahi Kasei E-Materials, Mitsubishi Chemical (Eska), Lightera (formerly OFS), Molex Polymicro Technologies, Proterial Cable America, and WEINERT Industries.

The business operates three GTM motions: direct e-commerce for standard products through an Authorize.Net/Foxycart storefront, a four-region distributor network (North America, Europe, Asia, South Pacific) primarily for educational SKUs, and direct sales engineering for custom OEM projects that include design, prototyping, pilot production with PPAP reports, and program management. Revenue derives from hardware sales of standard products, custom OEM assembly manufacturing, repair and calibration services, and fiber cutting/preparation services. Most products are built to order with a 5–7 business day standard lead time, volume-based tiered pricing on spools and mounts, net-30 terms for established customers, and a 25% expedite fee. IFO is bootstrapped, with no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and no institutional investors.

Name

Industrial Fiber Optics

Legal name

Industrial Fiber Optics, Inc.

Website

https://i-fiberoptics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Industrial Fiber Optics is a privately held Tempe, Arizona manufacturer of polymer and large-core silica optical fiber cable assemblies, connectors, light pipes, and sensor cables, serving aerospace, medical, industrial automation, automotive, and educational markets through direct e-commerce, regional distributors, and custom OEM programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fiber Optic Components Manufacturing

NAICS

Fiber Optic Cable Manufacturing (335921)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Data, Communications & Fiber Optic Cable (IMADAMAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fiber-Optic Interconnects (Connectors/Cables/Transceivers Interfaces) (HDAHAOAE), Fiber Optic Cabling (Singlemode/Multimode) (HDAFALAB)

Keywords

• Polymer optical fiber
• Fiber optic cable assemblies
• Fiber optic connectors
• Large-core silica fiber
• Fiber optic sensors

Headquarters

HQ city

Tempe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Standard Product Sales: Sale of standard fiber optic cable assemblies, connectors, tools, test equipment, LEDs, photodetectors, and educational products through e-commerce and distributor channels.
2. Custom OEM Assembly Manufacturing: Design, prototyping, and manufacturing of custom fiber optic cable assemblies for OEM customers with specialized requirements. Includes pilot production with PPAP reports and program management.
3. Repair and Calibration Services: Calibration services for laser power meters and fiber optic power meters at flat rate pricing, plus hourly repair services for fiber optic equipment.
4. Fiber Cutting and Preparation Services: Cut-to-length and end-preparation services for purchased fiber and cable including diamond polishing, stripping, and individual packaging.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Industrial Fiber Optics is a manufacturer and authorized distributor of polymer optical fiber (POF) and large-core silica optical fiber cable assemblies, connectors, sensors, LEDs/photodetectors, flexible light pipes, tools, and educational fiber optic kits. Operating from a single ISO 9001:2015-certified facility in Tempe, Arizona, the company offers over 9,000 standard product configurations alongside custom OEM design, prototyping, and small-batch production services for industrial, medical, aerospace, automotive, sensing, and educational customers.

Product overview

Industrial Fiber Optics is a manufacturer and distributor of polymer optical fiber (POF) and large-core silica optical fiber cable assemblies. The product portfolio includes distributed brands (Asahi Kasei E-Materials, Eska, Lightera HCS, Polymicro Technologies, Proterial, Weinert Industries) alongside proprietary products. Core offerings comprise Optical Fiber and Cable products, Fiber Optic Connectors (SMA, ST, FC, Versatile Link, Trim Trio in standard and custom configurations), Cable Assemblies (POF, HCS silica in various diameters), Flexible Light Pipes (with LED mounts and lens caps), Fiber Optic Sensor Cables (transmissive and reflective), LEDs and Photodetectors, Tools and Test Equipment, and Educational Products. The company also provides custom manufacturing services for fiber optic assemblies, connectors, light pipes, and prototype fabrication. All products are manufactured in their Tempe, AZ facility which holds ISO 9001:2015 certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Optical Fiber and Cable Distributed and supplied polymer optical fiber (POF) and large-core silica fiber cables from Asahi Kasei, Mitsubishi Chemical (Eska), Lightera (HCS), Molex Polymicro, Proterial, Weinert Industries, plus fluorescent specialty fibers, for data transmission, sensing, light guides, and harsh-environment applications.
• Fiber Optic Connectors Standard, semi-custom, and custom fiber optic connectors including SMA 905, SMA 906 (high-power), ST, FC, Versatile Link, and Trim Trio types for POF, large-core silica, and multimode silica fibers used in sensor, industrial, and medical applications.
• Fiber Optic Cable Assemblies Standard and custom patch cords and cable assemblies made from plastic optical fiber and large-core step-index HCS silica fiber, including riser- and plenum-rated, single- and dual-jacketed, simplex and duplex configurations in lengths from 10 cm to 200 meters, covering 62.5/125 µm, 200/230 µm, 400/430 µm, and POF constructions.
• Flexible Light Pipes Pre-cut flexible light pipes, spooled PMMA optical waveguides, LED mounts and lens caps in horizontal, vertical, and panel-mount configurations with operating temperatures up to 150°C, available in core diameters from 0.75 mm to 3.0 mm for illumination and indication applications.
• Fiber Optic Sensor Cables Plastic optical fiber and borosilicate glass fiber sensor cables offered in transmissive (thru-beam) and reflective configurations with core diameters from 0.5 to 1.5 mm for object detection, motion, and position sensing in manufacturing environments, including hazardous or EMI-sensitive areas.
• LEDs and Photodetectors Low-cost connector-less fiber optic LEDs (including low-cost IR and fast 650 nm red devices supporting 100 Mb at 75 m) and photodetectors (photodiode, phototransistor, photodarlington and photologic) with data rates from 150 kbps to 155 Mbps, plus connectorized IR and visible mounted devices using SMA and ST mounts.
• Tools and Test Equipment Fiber optic tools, test equipment and cleaning supplies including plastic-safe precision cleaners and lint-free wipes, hand crimpers and cleavers (including Lightera Crimp and Cleave field termination systems), POF cutter blocks and hot knives, fiber inspection microscopes, and polishing films, pucks, slurry, and plates.
• Educational Products Hands-on fiber optics and laser science kits, courses, and projects designed for students and educators learning fiber optic principles and laser technology.
• Custom OEM Fiber Optic Assembly Services End-to-end custom OEM fiber optic cable assembly manufacturing from design through prototype to production, including cutting, terminations, sheathing, polishing, testing, packaging and labeling, with first article inspections, PPAP reports, program management, and design-for-manufacturability reviews.
• Customized Fiber Optic Connectors Custom connector design and manufacturing services providing application-specific hole sizes and connector geometries optimized for lighting, sensor, automation, and networking use cases, including sterilizable medical-grade and high-temperature variants.
• Fiber Cutting and Preparation Services Cut-to-length and end-preparation services for customer-purchased spools of bare fiber and single-jacketed fiber cable including diamond polishing, stripping, and individual packaging.
• Repair and Calibration Services Flat-rate calibration for laser power meters and fiber optic power meters plus hourly repair services ($65/hour, one-hour minimum) for fiber optic equipment, with shipping not included.
• Prototype Research and Fabrication Services In-house prototype and proof-of-concept optical fiber or cable assembly fabrication with capabilities spanning electronics, fiber optics, mechanical engineering, and metal fabrication, using stereolithography 3D printing to deliver prototype sensor designs in 2–3 working days.
• Custom Light Pipes, LED Mounts and Lens Caps Customization services for flexible light pipes including preformed bends, angled polished faces, custom LED mounts, and custom lens caps.

Quantifiable outcome

• Standard cable assembly lead time of 5-7 business days
• +2 more outcomes

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Asahi Kasei E-MaterialscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey established vendor and supplier agreement for high-performance PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) optical fiber and cable products. Industrial Fiber Optics offers extensive Asahi Kasei product portfolio including single-core, multi-core, and hollow multi-core fibers.
• Mitsubishi Chemical Group (Eska)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorized reseller of Mitsubishi Chemical Eska, Super Eska, Eska Premier, and Eska Mega PMMA optical fiber and cable products. Full inventory maintained for distribution.
• Molex (Polymicro Technologies)majorTechnology or IntegrationSupplier partnership for extensive line of step-index glass core and cladding optical fiber with tight tolerances designed for harsh temperature, chemical, and radiation environments.
• Optical Cable CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey established vendor for fiber optic cable products included in supplier agreements for optical fiber and cable sourcing.
• OFS Specialty PhotonicscoreTechnology or IntegrationKey established vendor for HCS (Hard Clad Silica) fiber products and specialty photonics components. Source of proprietary HCS fiber technology.
• Lightera (formerly OFS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor for all Lightera Specialty Photonics products including HCS fiber cable. Lightera is the successor brand to OFS for large-core hard silica fiber products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fiber Instrument Sales (FIS): US-based distributor and assembler of fiber optic cables, connectors, tools, and test equipment with a similar catalog-driven, multi-brand distribution model serving industrial, medical, and educational customers.
• Timbercon: Custom fiber optic cable assembly manufacturer specializing in OEM-grade assemblies, similar in size and focus to IFO, with comparable custom engineering and rapid prototyping services for industrial and medical markets.

Broad incumbents

• Thorlabs: Broad photonics and fiber optics components manufacturer and distributor; overlaps with IFO in optical fiber, connectors, light pipes, LEDs/photodetectors, and educational kits, but at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Edmund Optics: Major optics and photonics distributor with overlapping fiber optic cable, connector, and illumination product lines serving industrial, research, and educational customers through catalog and direct sales.
• Molex (Polymicro Technologies): Molex is both a supplier to IFO (Polymicro glass optical fiber) and a broader fiber optic component manufacturer producing specialty fibers, connectors, and assemblies for harsh-environment industrial and medical applications.
• OFS (Lightera): OFS / Lightera is the originator of HCS (Hard Clad Silica) fiber and a key IFO supplier; it also manufactures specialty optical fiber, cables, and connectivity for industrial, medical, and sensing applications that overlap with IFO's product line.
• Amphenol: Global connector and interconnect manufacturer with a substantial fiber optic connector and cable assembly business serving industrial, automotive, medical, and aerospace customers — overlapping with IFO's connector and OEM assembly offerings at much greater scale.
• TE Connectivity: Major connectivity and sensor company with fiber optic cable, connector, and assembly product lines serving industrial automation, medical, and aerospace — a much larger peer in the OEM fiber assembly space.
• Corning Incorporated: World leader in optical fiber, cable, and connectivity; while primarily focused on telecom-grade single-mode fiber, Corning's specialty fiber, connector, and cable assembly businesses overlap with IFO in industrial and harsh-environment applications.
• Coherent (formerly II-VI): Diversified photonics and materials company producing specialty optical fiber, laser components, and assemblies for industrial, medical, and aerospace end markets — overlapping with IFO's industrial and medical fiber optic assembly portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 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 Industrial Fiber Optics