Collimated Holes
Collimated Holes is a Campbell, CA-based custom manufacturer of fiber optic components, capillary arrays, and patented scintillating glass products serving medical, scientific, industrial, and aerospace/defense customers since 1975.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersCampbell, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Collimated Holes does
Collimated Holes, Inc. (CHI) is a privately held specialty photonics manufacturer founded in 1975 and headquartered in Campbell, California. The company designs and produces custom fiber optic components, capillary arrays, fused fiber optic structures, scintillating glass components, and integrated imaging systems for scientific, medical, industrial, and aerospace/defense end-markets. Its core manufacturing capability rests on seven in-house glass drawing towers and proprietary chemical etching processes that produce capillary structures, fused fiber optics, fiber optic faceplates, image conduits, image remapping devices, and scintillating components — including patented terbium-activated luminescent glass formulations for X-ray detection.
The business model is custom engineering services combined with low-volume component production. CHI begins with customer requirements analysis, produces a proposal with NRE identification and timeline, and bills on time-and-materials or fixed-contract terms. A small standardized catalog of 13mm and 25mm capillary plates ($400-$785) provides transactional revenue, with FOB Campbell shipping, $500 minimum order, and 4-6 week lead times. Sales are generated through industry trade shows, word-of-mouth referrals, and direct inquiries handled via RFQ, phone, email, and PayPal — no distributors, no e-commerce, and no digital self-service.
Customers include NASA (Cassini probe imaging optics), endoscope manufacturers, an undisclosed defense contractor (rocket engine X-ray inspection), Fortune 100 firms in semiconductor and biotech/pharma, and research instrumentation OEMs. The company reports over 30 years of design and engineering service experience and a >90% success rate in delivering novel optical solutions. Headcount is approximately 20 employees, and the firm is led by President Richard W. Mead, with no disclosed institutional investment, acquisitions, or M&A activity.
Collimated Holes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Collimated Holes
- Legal name
- Collimated Holes, Inc.
- Website
- https://collimatedholes.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Collimated Holes is a Campbell, CA-based custom manufacturer of fiber optic components, capillary arrays, and patented scintillating glass products serving medical, scientific, industrial, and aerospace/defense customers since 1975.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Collimated Holes industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Precision Fiber Optics and Capillary Array Components
- NAICS
- Fiber Optic Cable Manufacturing (335921), Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing (32721)
- SIC
- Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs) (HDAHAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Glass Fabrication & Processing Services (Cutting/Edging/Drilling/Polishing) (IMADAHAI), Optoelectronic / Photonics Foundries (Silicon Photonics/LED/Laser) (HDAHACAG)
Keywords
Where Collimated Holes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Campbell
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Collimated Holes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Custom Fiber Optic Components: Sale of custom fiber optic components, sub-assemblies, and integrated imaging systems. Primarily custom solutions rather than off-the-shelf products.
- Design & Engineering Services: Custom design and engineering services for optical solutions. Billed on time and materials basis or fixed contract. Proposal includes scope of services, NRE identification, and timeline for completion.
- Standard Capillary Arrays: Standard capillary plate products with published pricing. Prices range from $400-$785 depending on size and thickness. Minimum order $500, 4-6 week delivery.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 13mm Round or Square Capillary Plates |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 25mm Round or Square Capillary Plates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Collimated Holes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Collimated Holes, Inc. (CHI) designs and manufactures custom fiber optic components, capillary arrays, fused fiber optics, and scintillating glass products for scientific, medical, industrial, aerospace, and instrumentation applications. The company produces its own optical fibers using seven in-house drawing towers and provides custom design and engineering services for complete subassemblies and integrated imaging systems, rather than selling off-the-shelf catalog products.
Product overview
Collimated Holes, Inc. (CHI) is a custom manufacturer of precision fiber optics and capillary arrays, established in 1975. The company does not offer standard catalog products; instead, it specializes in custom solutions designed collaboratively with clients. CHI produces its own optical fibers using seven in-house drawing towers, providing tight quality control and the ability to create custom glass combinations. The core product portfolio includes capillary arrays (manufactured via glass drawing and etching processes), fused fiber optics (image guides, faceplates, light guides, multi-fibers), scintillating components (fiber optic faceplates, bulk scintillators, hybrid scintillators), image conduits and remapping devices, and precision transparent sieves. The company also offers custom design and engineering services for complete subassemblies and integrated imaging systems. Key differentiators include patented terbium-doped scintillating glass technology (5 patents), proprietary glass formulations in stock, and capability to produce fiber optic plates up to 355mm square.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Capillary Arrays Structures of collimated holes (capillary arrays) manufactured through glass drawing and etching processes, available as arrays, disks, plates, and individual capillaries with configurable diameters, geometries, and plate sizes. Used in filtration and imaging systems.
- Fused Fiber Optics Coherent fused fiber optic structures including image guides, multi-fiber light guides, image conduits, fiber optic face plates, and fiber arrays produced by stacking and fusing individual fibers. Used for image transmission and illumination in medical, scientific, and industrial applications.
- Fiber Optic Face Plates Coherent multi-fiber plates that transfer images pixel by pixel (fiber by fiber) from one face to the other. Used in high-end imaging applications bonded to CCDs, voltage stand-off devices in electron microscopes and cathode ray tubes, and as phosphor substrates. Sizes range up to 355mm (14") square.
- Scintillating Fiber Optic Faceplates Fiber optic faceplates made from CHI's patented terbium-doped scintillating glass that convert non-visible high-energy radiation (X-rays) into visible green light for industrial inspection systems. Emission peaks at 545nm and 555nm.
- Hybrid Scintillators Hybrid structures combining scintillating fiber optic faceplates with commercial phosphor screens (GADOX:Eu) for enhanced X-ray imaging performance with higher light output than standalone fiber optic or polycrystalline scintillators.
- Bulk Scintillators Non-fiber optic scintillating glass plates made from CHI's patented terbium-activated luminescent glass for X-ray detection.
- Image Conduits Bundles of fused fibers that transmit images from one end to the other with resolution dependent on fiber diameter. Diameters range from 0.1mm to 25mm with lengths from 12mm to several feet.
- Image Remapping Devices Fused fiber structures that transform light or images from an input field of one size or geometry into an output field of another size or geometry, ranging from simple size converters to complex shape and location converters with multiple input and output fields.
- Multi-fibers Building blocks of coherent fiber optic structures consisting of few to hundreds of thousands of individual fibers tightly packed and fused together in various geometries (hexagonal, square packs in circular, square, hexagonal cross-sections), available with or without EMA.
- Precision Transparent Sieves Precision transparent sieves manufactured using CHI's glass technology for particle filtration applications.
- Micro-lenses Micro-optical lenses for medical and other types of imaging applications, manufactured using CHI's glass technology.
- Design and Engineering Services Custom optical design and engineering services including imaging optics, illumination systems, complete subassemblies (housings, connectors), and fully integrated imaging systems. Services can be handled on time and materials or fixed contract basis with proposal stating scope, NRE, and timeline.
- Capillary Plates (Standard) Standard capillary array plates available in 13mm and 25mm round or square formats. Prices range from $400-$785 depending on size and thickness. Standard hole diameters of 5/10/25/50 µm. Lead time 4-6 weeks.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 90% success rate in bringing novel optical solutions to customers
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Collimated Holes
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Collimated Holes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Collimated Holes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Collimated Holes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hamamatsu Photonics: Global photonics incumbent manufacturing scintillators, fiber optic plates, and X-ray imaging components for medical, scientific, and industrial applications. Comparable as a buyer and competing supplier of scintillating materials and fiber optic faceplates.
- Schott AG: Major specialty glass and glass-ceramics manufacturer producing fiber optic components, scintillating glass, and photonic materials. Overlaps with CHI in glass composition IP and photonic component supply but operates at significantly larger scale and breadth.
- Corning Incorporated: Global leader in specialty glass and optical fiber manufacturing with significant photonics and advanced materials operations. Comparable on fiber optic and glass materials technology, though at vastly larger scale across telecom and life sciences.
- Thorlabs: Broad-line photonics components and optical instruments supplier serving scientific research, medical, and industrial markets. Comparable as a custom-capable optical components vendor though Thorlabs is largely catalog-driven and far larger.
- Edmund Optics: Major catalog and custom optics manufacturer supplying lenses, filters, fiber optics, and imaging components across scientific, medical, and industrial markets. Comparable as a custom and standard optical components supplier to similar end markets.
- Excelitas Technologies: Photonics and detection specialist supplying scintillators, fiber optic components, and imaging systems for medical, security, and industrial inspection. Comparable customer base and overlap in X-ray imaging and detection components.
- Photonis (Exosens): Specialty photonics manufacturer of image intensifier tubes, scintillators, and fiber optic components for defense, scientific, and medical imaging. Comparable in fiber optic faceplate and scintillator supply to defense and scientific end markets.
- Saint-Gobain (Crystals / Photonics): Large specialty glass and crystals manufacturer with scintillator and photonics product lines serving medical imaging, defense, and scientific instrumentation. Comparable in glass formulation IP and downstream X-ray/medical imaging customers.
Direct peers
- Incom Inc. Direct competitor in fused fiber optics and large-format fiber optic faceplates for imaging, night vision, and medical applications. Both companies manufacture fused multi-fiber structures and serve scientific/medical/aerospace end markets.
- CeramOptec: Specialty fiber optic cable and component manufacturer producing custom fused fiber bundles, light guides, and image conduits for medical, industrial, and scientific applications. Direct product overlap with CHI's fused fiber optic offerings.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Collimated Holes social profiles
Digital presenceCollimated Holes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Collimated Holes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Collimated Holes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Collimated Holes M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Collimated Holes
What does Collimated Holes do?
Collimated Holes, Inc. (CHI) designs and manufactures custom fiber optic components, capillary arrays, fused fiber optics, and scintillating glass products for scientific, medical, industrial, aerospace, and instrumentation applications. The company produces its own optical fibers using seven in-house drawing towers and provides custom design and engineering services for complete subassemblies and integrated imaging systems, rather than selling off-the-shelf catalog products.
Is Collimated Holes a public or private company?
Collimated Holes is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Collimated Holes founded?
Collimated Holes was founded in 1975. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Collimated Holes based?
Collimated Holes is headquartered in Campbell, United States, in the North America region.
How does Collimated Holes make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Custom Fiber Optic Components are the primary driver. The others are design & Engineering Services and standard Capillary Arrays.
Who are Collimated Holes's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Hamamatsu Photonics, Schott AG, Corning Incorporated, Thorlabs, Edmund Optics, Excelitas Technologies, Photonis (Exosens) and Saint-Gobain (Crystals / Photonics). Direct peers are Incom Inc. and CeramOptec.
Does Collimated Holes have an API?
No public API is recorded for Collimated Holes.
What industry is Collimated Holes in?
Collimated Holes's product category is Precision Fiber Optics and Capillary Array Components. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHAAAH, Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs), with a secondary code of IMADAHAI, Glass Fabrication & Processing Services (Cutting/Edging/Drilling/Polishing). Its NAICS code is 335921 and its SIC code is 3827.