CVI Laser
CVI Laser Optics is a B2B manufacturer of high-performance precision optical components, waveplates, AR-coated optics, optomechanical assemblies, and infrared shutters, serving OEM customers in semiconductor inspection, directed energy, aerospace, industrial tools, and military/surveillance applications from its Albuquerque, New Mexico facility as part of the IDEX Materials Science Solutions platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1972
- HeadquartersAlbuquerque, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What CVI Laser does
CVI Laser Optics is a B2B manufacturer of high-performance optical components, assemblies, and mounts founded in 1972 and headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The company designs and fabricates precision glass and crystal optics—including custom high-damage-threshold waveplates (zero-order, multiple-order, dual-wavelength), polarization rotators, AR-coated optics, and optomechanical assemblies—and also produces infrared detector and camera shutters for night-vision thermography cameras, IR imagers, and portable thermal units used in military and surveillance applications. Its technical differentiation rests on proprietary fabrication and coating capabilities, 50+ years of accumulated process know-how, and an in-house engineering team of 12+ full-time designers who deliver system-level solutions co-developed with component fabrication, coating, and assembly experts, backed by a substantial metrology department capable of designing custom test systems.
CVI Laser serves OEM customers across four use-case segments: semiconductor inspection and metrology, directed energy / aerospace / remote sensing, industrial OEM (additive manufacturing and industrial tools), and military/defense thermal imaging. The company operates an engineering-led, direct B2B sales model with no disclosed pricing or named customer list, sourcing revenue through custom manufacturing contracts and component sales rather than standardized catalog SKUs. It was acquired by IDEX Corporation (NYSE: IEX) in 2012 and operates as the optics arm of the IDEX Materials Science Solutions platform, which extends its global reach, engineering resources, and manufacturing scale; an earlier 2005 acquisition of Optical Components broadened its optics footprint. Currently 51–100 employees and operating from a single New Mexico facility, CVI Laser competes as a niche specialist with limited disclosed financial profile.
CVI Laser firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CVI Laser
- Legal name
- CVI Laser Optics
- Website
- https://cvilaser.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1972
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- CVI Laser Optics is a B2B manufacturer of high-performance precision optical components, waveplates, AR-coated optics, optomechanical assemblies, and infrared shutters, serving OEM customers in semiconductor inspection, directed energy, aerospace, industrial tools, and military/surveillance applications from its Albuquerque, New Mexico facility as part of the IDEX Materials Science Solutions platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CVI Laser industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Precision Optical Components and Laser Optics Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (33441)
- SIC
- Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs) (HDAHAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Machine Vision & Optical Sensing (Cameras, 3D vision, LiDAR, illumination) (IMAGAFAB)
Keywords
Where CVI Laser is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Albuquerque
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CVI Laser business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Optical Components Manufacturing: Design, fabrication, and manufacture of high-performance optical components from prototype to volume production for OEM customers. Revenue generated through custom manufacturing contracts and component sales to industrial customers.
- Optical Assembly and Integration: Designing, developing, building and testing of complex assemblies for industrial OEM applications, including optomechanical systems. Revenue from custom assembly projects and system-level solutions.
- Infrared Detector and Shutter Products: High-performance shutters and infrared detector components for military, surveillance, and thermography applications. Revenue from specialized component sales.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
CVI Laser product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CVI Laser Optics designs, fabricates, and manufactures custom high-performance optical components and assemblies — including precision glass and crystal substrates, waveplates, polarization rotators, custom AR coatings, optomechanical systems, and infrared detector/camera shutters — for OEM customers in semiconductor inspection, directed energy, aerospace, remote sensing, and military/surveillance applications. The company operates from a state-of-the-art New Mexico facility and supports customers from prototype through volume production, backed by system-level engineering design, proprietary coating capabilities, and an extensive metrology department.
Product overview
CVI Laser Optics offers a unified portfolio of high-performance optical components and related services as part of the IDEX Materials Science Solutions platform. The portfolio centers on precision optical components (custom glass and crystal substrates), complemented by specialized waveplates and polarization rotators, custom AR coatings, optomechanical system assembly, and infrared detector/camera shutters. These products are supported by optical design engineering services and metrology/testing capabilities, serving OEM customers in semiconductor inspection, directed energy, aerospace, and remote sensing markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Precision Optical Components
Companies that use CVI Laser
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CVI Laser technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
CVI Laser partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- IDEX CorporationcoreIn 2012, CVI Laser Optics was acquired by IDEX Corporation, bringing together a select group of specialized companies to support photonics applications. CVI Laser Optics operates as part of the IDEX Materials Science Solutions platform, gaining access to engineering expertise, broad capabilities, and extensive manufacturing resources while maintaining its specialized optical manufacturing focus.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights3 records
CVI Laser competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Edmund Optics: Global supplier of optical components, lenses, mirrors, filters, and assemblies with strong OEM and catalog sales channels. Directly comparable to CVI in precision glass optics, AR coatings, and custom optical sub-assemblies for industrial, semiconductor, and defense applications.
- Thorlabs: Large-scale manufacturer of photonics components including precision optics, waveplates, polarization optics, and optomechanical assemblies serving semiconductor, research, and industrial OEMs. Direct overlap with CVI across waveplates, AR coatings, and custom optical assemblies supplied to OEM customers.
- Optics Balzers: Specialty optics supplier focused on thin-film coatings, precision optical components, and IR optics for industrial, automotive, and defense markets. Comparable to CVI in custom AR coating expertise and IR-related optical components.
- Reynard Corporation: Custom manufacturer of precision optical components, thin-film coatings, and optomechanical assemblies serving aerospace, defense, medical, and commercial customers. Closely comparable to CVI in custom coating and prototype-to-volume optical manufacturing.
- Berliner Glas: European precision optics manufacturer producing high-quality glass and crystal optical components, coatings, and complex assemblies for semiconductor, medical, and metrology OEMs. Closely comparable to CVI in high-precision custom optics and OEM system integration.
- Excelitas Technologies (incl. Qioptiq): Manufacturer of photonic components, optical assemblies, and infrared detection / imaging modules for defense, aerospace, and industrial OEMs. Strong overlap with CVI in custom IR shutters, night vision components, and complex optomechanical assemblies.
Broad incumbents
- MKS Instruments: Diversified photonics, electronics, and equipment provider including optical components, filters, and laser subsystems. Competes with CVI in supplying precision optics into semiconductor manufacturing and laser-based industrial tools.
- Coherent (formerly II-VI): Vertically integrated photonics and laser optics powerhouse offering precision optics, laser components, and complex assemblies across semiconductor, directed energy, and aerospace. A broad incumbent whose components business directly competes with CVI on high-damage-threshold laser optics and IR components.
- Jenoptik: German photonics group with strong capabilities in precision optics, laser materials processing optics, and optomechanical systems serving semiconductor equipment and defense OEMs. Directly comparable in laser optics and complex assemblies, with a broader global footprint.
Emerging players
- Sydor Optics: US-based precision optics manufacturer specializing in flat glass optics, laser-grade mirrors, and custom optical components for semiconductor, defense, and research OEMs. Smaller and more focused than CVI but directly comparable in laser-grade custom optics manufacturing.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CVI Laser social profiles
Digital presenceCVI Laser financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CVI Laser leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
CVI Laser funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CVI Laser M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CVI Laser
What does CVI Laser do?
CVI Laser Optics designs, fabricates, and manufactures custom high-performance optical components and assemblies — including precision glass and crystal substrates, waveplates, polarization rotators, custom AR coatings, optomechanical systems, and infrared detector/camera shutters — for OEM customers in semiconductor inspection, directed energy, aerospace, remote sensing, and military/surveillance applications. The company operates from a state-of-the-art New Mexico facility and supports customers from prototype through volume production, backed by system-level engineering design, proprietary coating capabilities, and an extensive metrology department.
Is CVI Laser a public or private company?
CVI Laser is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was CVI Laser founded?
CVI Laser was founded in 1972. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is CVI Laser based?
CVI Laser is headquartered in Albuquerque, United States, in the North America region.
How does CVI Laser make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Optical Components Manufacturing is the primary driver. The others are optical Assembly and Integration and infrared Detector and Shutter Products.
Who are CVI Laser's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Edmund Optics, Thorlabs, Optics Balzers, Reynard Corporation, Berliner Glas and Excelitas Technologies (incl. Qioptiq). Broad incumbents are MKS Instruments, Coherent (formerly II-VI) and Jenoptik. Sydor Optics is listed as an emerging player.
Does CVI Laser have an API?
No public API is recorded for CVI Laser.
What industry is CVI Laser in?
CVI Laser's product category is Precision Optical Components and Laser Optics Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHAAAH, Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs), with a secondary code of IMAGAFAB, Machine Vision & Optical Sensing (Cameras, 3D vision, LiDAR, illumination). Its NAICS code is 33451 and its SIC code is 3827.