Sunoptics

What Sunoptics does

Sunoptics, Inc., founded in 1978 and headquartered at 106 Industrial Parkway in Tallassee, Alabama, is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of prismatic skylights, smoke vents, and related roof-assembly accessories for commercial and industrial buildings. The company invented the modern plastic prismatic skylight and remains the originator of the category, with three registered patents covering its Signature Series dome geometry, ClearArmour polycarbonate material blend, and the 800MD all-aluminum frame design with integral condensation gutters and thermal breaks. Its core product line (the SIG Signature Series skylights and SVT2 UL/FM-approved smoke vents) addresses daylighting and emergency smoke evacuation in big-box retail, warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities globally, supported by FM, UL, HVHZ, Miami-Dade, AAMA, ICC-ES/NFRC, and CE certifications.

The business operates a sales-led, project-based go-to-market model: products are sold direct to building owners, contractors, and architects via phone and email-based custom quotation, with no public pricing or self-serve e-commerce. Specification-phase demand is captured through a BIM/Revit content listing on the BIMsmith marketplace, while retrofit and safety/security revenue is layered via companion products (CURB metal curbs, Clip-on Safety Security Guards, BURGB Burglar Bars). Customer acquisition is rooted in architectural specification rather than transactional channels, and pricing is unit-based with quotes generated per project specification.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time hardware sales of the prismatic skylight platform and accessories, with no disclosed recurring software, service, or consumable streams. The firm employs 11–50 people across a single manufacturing facility and is described in the dataset as independent and privately held, with no venture capital or private equity investment disclosed; the corporate website domain (sunoptics.acuitybrands.com) suggests a possible commercial relationship with Acuity Brands, though the parent-company field in the input data states no parent entity.

Name

Sunoptics

Legal name

Sunoptics, Inc.

Website

https://sunoptics.acuitybrands.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sunoptics is a privately held Alabama-based manufacturer of patented prismatic skylights and smoke vents, serving big-box retail, warehouse, distribution, and manufacturing construction projects globally via direct project-based sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Daylighting and Industrial Skylights

NAICS

Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)

akta.pro primary industry

Skylights & Roof Windows (IMADAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Skylights, Roof Windows & Daylighting (IMADAFAL)

Keywords

• Prismatic skylights
• Commercial daylighting
• Smoke vents
• Industrial skylight systems
• Roof curbs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

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. Prismatic Skylight Sales: Sunoptics generates revenue through the sale of proprietary Signature Series Prismatic Skylights and Smoke Vents. Products are sold directly to commercial and industrial building owners, contractors, and through marketplace channels. Revenue is primarily one-time hardware sales with optional accessories and replacement parts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Sunoptics manufactures and sells proprietary Signature Series Prismatic Skylights and SVT2 Smoke Vents for commercial and industrial buildings, alongside metal curbs, safety guards, and burglar bars. Products are sold direct to building owners, contractors, and architects via quote-based sales and the BIMsmith marketplace, targeting big box retail, warehouses, and distribution centers.

Product overview

Sunoptics offers a portfolio of prismatic skylights and related products for commercial, industrial, and retail daylighting applications. The Signature Series Skylights (SIG) serve as the core product line, providing high-performance prismatic optics for maximum natural light transmission. The product family includes SVT2 smoke vents for emergency smoke evacuation, CURB metal curbs for roof assembly installation, Guard fall protection devices, and BURGB burglar bar security guards. All products are designed for big box retail, warehouses, and distribution centers, with the Signature Series Skylights featuring patented dome designs that rise and stay risen to capture maximum reflected light.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SIG - Signature Series Commercial Prismatic Skylights High-performance prismatic skylights with a patented dome that rises and stays risen across the apex to capture maximum reflected light, providing 100% diffused visible light transmission. Available in single- and double-glazed versions with all-aluminum frames, integral condensation gutters, and thermal breaks for commercial and industrial buildings.
• SVT2 - Sunoptics Signature Series Smoke Vents UL Listed and FM Approved industrial smoke vents available in single- and double-glazed versions with ClearArmour prismatic polycarbonate lenses, snow load ratings of 10 and 30 pounds per square foot, patented dome design, and Class 4 hail rated lenses. Designed for emergency smoke evacuation in commercial and industrial buildings.
• CURB - Skylight Curbs Full line of insulated and uninsulated, structural and non-structural metal curb options for roof assemblies. Structural curb option eliminates the need for interior structural reinforcement, and all curbs come with a welded-in-place Safety Security Guard providing lifetime OSHA fall protection.
• Guard - Clip on Safety Security Guard Safety and security clip-on guard designed for retrofit applications and for both metal and wood curbs. Curb top design provides lifetime OSHA-compliant fall protection with or without a dome, made from 8 gauge galvanized cold rolled steel.
• BURGB - Burglar Bars Vandal guard security guards fabricated from 1/2-inch diameter steel rods welded to a curb mounting angle frame, designed for new and retrofit applications. Fits inside curb dimensions from 23x23 to 59x119 inches and is tested and compliant with Fall Protection guidelines for the California Code of Regulation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Only 3% to 5% of roof area needed for effective skylight system implementation
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BIMsmithcoreTechnology or IntegrationSunoptics maintains product listings on the BIMsmith marketplace, providing BIM and Revit models for their Signature Series skylights and smoke vents. This partnership enables architects and design professionals to integrate Sunoptics products into building designs during the specification phase.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Major Industries: Manufacturer of skylights, translucent panels, and canopy systems for commercial and architectural applications. Competes with Sunoptics in the commercial daylighting segment.
• Wasco Skylights: Specialty manufacturer of custom skylights, roof windows, and translucent wall systems for commercial and residential projects. Competes with Sunoptics in architectural specification-driven projects.
• Skyco Skylights: Commercial skylight manufacturer offering standard and custom prismatic and glass skylights. Competes with Sunoptics in the commercial and industrial skylight specification market.
• Natural Light Energy Systems: Manufacturer of tubular skylights and energy-efficient daylighting systems for commercial, industrial, and residential markets. Direct competitor on passive daylighting value proposition.
• Bristolite Skylights: Manufacturer of aluminum and acrylic skylights for commercial and residential buildings. Direct competitor on standard prismatic skylight products.
• Velux: Global leader in skylights and roof windows for residential and commercial buildings. Velux is the most direct competitor to Sunoptics' prismatic skylight business, particularly in commercial and industrial segments where both serve architects and contractors.
• Solatube International: Manufacturer of tubular daylighting devices (TDDs) that compete with prismatic skylights for daylighting in commercial, industrial, and residential projects. Solatube overlaps with Sunoptics on the 'natural daylight instead of electric lighting' value proposition.
• Kingspan Light + Air: Kingspan's Light + Air division offers commercial skylights, smoke vents, and roof hatches. Direct overlap with Sunoptics' skylight and SVT2 smoke vent product lines for industrial and commercial applications.

Broad incumbents

• Acuity Brands: Parent company of Sunoptics and a major North American lighting and building management solutions provider. Acuity Brands operates across indoor and outdoor lighting, controls, and connected building systems, providing distribution and capital backbone to Sunoptics.

Emerging players

• Ciralight: Developer of active sunlight-tracking skylights and daylighting systems. Ciralight competes with Sunoptics on the energy-efficiency and daylighting value proposition with a more active, technology-driven approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acuitybrands

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Sunoptics