What Sill Optics does

Sill Optics GmbH is a privately held German precision optics manufacturer headquartered in Wendelstein, Bavaria. The company designs and produces high-quality optical components, including laser optics (f-theta objectives, beam expanders, aspheres, lens systems) and imaging optics (telecentric and entocentric lenses, custom objectives, condenser illuminations). All development and manufacturing take place in-house at the German facility with approximately 160 employees. Approximately 80% of imaging lens orders are handled as individual development projects, indicating a heavily custom-oriented product mix alongside a portfolio of more than 70 standard telecentric lens models.

The company serves industrial automation and machine vision, defense and aerospace, semiconductor and display manufacturing, medical technology, photonics and quantum technology (including trapped ion optics), and additive manufacturing. Its technology differentiators include telecentric lens designs that eliminate magnification changes from depth of field, telecentric lenses with integrated coaxial illumination and with integrated tunable liquid lenses (via partner Optotune), and specialized optics for trapped ion quantum applications.

Sill Optics generates revenue primarily through one-time hardware sales of optical components and OEM products, supplemented by custom development projects. Pricing is quote-based with no public list pricing, and contracts are typically multi-year. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales through Global Key Account Managers, an internal sales team for mid-market accounts, a network of Vertriebspartner sales partners, and active participation in industry trade fairs. The company shows no disclosed external funding, parent company, or public ownership; it appears to be independently operated.

Name

Sill Optics

Legal name

Sill Optics GmbH

Website

https://silloptics.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sill Optics is a privately held German precision optics manufacturer producing laser optics and imaging optics (telecentric lenses, custom objectives) for industrial machine vision, defense and aerospace, semiconductor, medical, and quantum technology customers, with all design and manufacturing performed in-house at its Wendelstein facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Optical Components

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Precision optics manufacturing
• Laser optics components
• Telecentric imaging lenses
• Custom optical systems
• F-theta scan objectives

Headquarters

HQ city

Wendelstein

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Optical Component Sales: Sale of precision optical components including laser optics (f-Theta objectives, beam expanders, aspherical lenses, lens systems), imaging optics (telecentric lenses, entocentric lenses, custom objectives), and accessories.
2. Custom Development Projects: Custom optical design and development services for specialized applications, including prototype development, small series, and medium-sized production runs.
3. OEM Products: OEM optical products for integration into customer systems and devices.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Sill Optics GmbH manufactures precision optical components at its Wendelstein, Germany facility, with two core product lines: Laseroptiken (laser optics including f-theta objectives, beam expanders, aspheres and custom lens systems) and Abbildende Optiken (imaging optics featuring a portfolio of 70+ standard telecentric lens models, custom imaging objectives, special imaging objectives and condenser illuminations). Approximately 80% of imaging lens orders are handled as individual custom development projects spanning prototype to medium-volume production runs.

Product overview

Sill Optics GmbH is a German precision optics manufacturer offering two core product lines: Laseroptiken (laser optics) and Abbildende Optiken (imaging optics). The laser optics portfolio includes f-theta objectives, beam expanders, aspheres, and custom lens systems for industrial laser processing. The imaging optics line features telecentric portfolio objectives (over 70 standard models), custom imaging objectives, special imaging objectives on request, and condenser illuminations with accessories. The company specializes in custom developments, with approximately 80% of imaging objective orders handled as individual development projects. All products are developed and manufactured at the company's facility in Wendelstein, Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Laseroptiken (Laser Optics) Core product line of precision laser optics for industrial laser processing, encompassing f-theta objectives, beam expanders, aspheres and custom lens systems for laser marking, engraving, micromachining and material processing. Targeted at OEMs and integrators in laser-based manufacturing.
• F-Theta Objektive (F-theta Scan Objectives) F-theta scanning objectives designed for laser marking, engraving and micromachining applications, available as portfolio products and OEM variants for integration into customer systems.
• Strahlaufweiter (Beam Expanders) Beam expanders for collimating and expanding laser beams in optical systems used in laser processing applications.
• Asphären (Aspheric Lenses) Precision aspheric lenses designed to correct spherical aberrations in laser and imaging applications.
• Linsensysteme (Lens Systems) Custom multi-element lens systems engineered for specific optical requirements in laser and imaging applications.
• OEM Produkte (OEM Optical Products) OEM optical products including F-theta objectives supplied as OEM components for integration into customer laser processing systems and manufacturing equipment.
• Telezentrische Portfolio Objektive (Telecentric Portfolio Objectives) Standard portfolio of more than 70 telecentric imaging objective models designed for measurement and machine vision applications, supporting sensors up to 1.5 inches (24.0mm diagonal) and offering configurations including integrated coaxial illumination and tunable liquid lens focusing.
• Kundenspezifische Abbildende Objektive (Custom Imaging Objectives) Custom-designed imaging objectives tailored to specific customer requirements, covering approximately 80% of imaging lens orders as individual development projects for industrial machine vision, biomedical and material processing applications.
• Spezielle Abbildende Objektive (Special Imaging Objectives) Special imaging objectives available on request, including modified standard lenses adapted for specific application requirements such as quantum technology trapped ion optics.
• Kondensorbeleuchtungen und Zubehör (Condenser Illuminations and Accessories) Condenser illuminations and supporting accessories for imaging and machine vision systems, designed for use alongside Sill Optics telecentric and imaging objectives.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Edmund Optics: Global B2B supplier of optical components including lenses, filters, and imaging optics for industrial, life sciences, and semiconductor applications. Closely comparable to Sill across product portfolio (telecentric lenses, laser optics, machine-vision components) and customer base, though materially larger in scale.
• Thorlabs: Privately held U.S. photonics components manufacturer offering lenses, optical assemblies, and laser optics across research, industrial, and life-sciences markets. Highly comparable to Sill in product breadth (custom optics, telecentric and imaging lenses) and B2B go-to-market.
• Jenoptik: German photonics group with dedicated optics and laser processing divisions serving industrial, semiconductor, and medical customers. Directly comparable to Sill on geography, German Mittelstand roots, and the combination of custom optical components with laser optics for industrial applications.
• Schneider-Kreuznach: German manufacturer of industrial and photographic lenses, with a strong industrial-vision and laser-optics portfolio. Directly comparable to Sill in heritage, German manufacturing base, and focus on high-precision lenses for machine vision and laser processing.
• Qioptiq (Excelitas Technologies): Supplier of optical components, assemblies, and laser systems for industrial, medical, and defense markets (Qioptiq brand within Excelitas). Directly comparable to Sill in custom optical design, lens assemblies, and application-specific solutions.
• Newport (MKS Instruments): Supplier of photonics and laser-optics components, including lenses, beam expanders, and optical assemblies for industrial and scientific laser applications. Closely comparable to Sill in laser optics (f-theta objectives, beam expanders) and B2B industrial customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Carl Zeiss (ZEISS): German optics conglomerate operating across industrial quality and research, semiconductor manufacturing optics, medical technology, and consumer lenses. Overlaps with Sill in industrial and semiconductor optics but competes with a much broader portfolio and global scale.
• SCHOTT: German specialty materials and optics manufacturer with optical glass, filter components, and lighting/image-processing products. Comparable to Sill on German manufacturing heritage and industrial optics exposure, though operating at substantially larger scale and broader scope.
• Coherent Corp. Global photonics conglomerate (formerly II-VI) encompassing laser optics, materials, and Edmund Optics. Broadly comparable to Sill via its laser-optics and Edmund Optics components businesses, but competes at dramatically larger scale across laser systems, optics, and materials.
• Hamamatsu Photonics: Japanese manufacturer of photonic devices, optical sensors, and imaging components for industrial, medical, and scientific markets. Comparable to Sill in serving industrial imaging and medical/photonics applications, though with a broader semiconductor-and-detector portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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 Sill Optics