Artemis Optical
Artemis Optical (G&H | Artemis) is a Plymouth, UK-based manufacturer of custom optical thin-film coatings and filters, serving defense primes (e.g., BAE Systems), life sciences, industrial, telecom, and consumer electronics customers with anti-reflective, laser protection, and wavelength-selective coatings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersPlymouth, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Artemis Optical does
Artemis Optical, operating under the G&H | Artemis brand since its July 2023 acquisition by Gooch & Housego PLC (LSE: GHH) for $8.9 million, is a Plymouth, UK-based specialist in optical thin-film coatings. The company manufactures custom optical filters and coatings using layered dielectric materials on diverse substrates (sheet, molded, ground and polished), producing anti-reflective, reflective, and wavelength-selective filters used in Head Up Displays, laser protection systems, mobile phone displays, and other precision optics. Its technical platform includes a Class 6 Assembly Cleanroom, a Laser Induced Damage Threshold (LIDT) test facility, fully automated robot laser testing, and an in-house metrology facility equipped with interferometers and spectrophotometers, all housed in purpose-built Plymouth facilities.
The company's core customer base is in defense and aerospace — notably BAE Systems for HUDs and laser protection — but it has diversified so that nearly 40% of production now serves non-defense hi-tech, industrial, life sciences, medical imaging, and telecom markets, including a contract win in Li-Fi communications. Revenue is generated through direct B2B sales of custom-engineered components on a quote-based, project-driven model with multi-year contracts and reported On-Time-In-Full delivery above 98%. Post-acquisition, G&H | Artemis distributes through Gooch & Housego's broader global aerospace, defense, industrial, telecom, and life-sciences channels while maintaining its dedicated Plymouth engineering and production footprint under the G&H Group umbrella.
Artemis Optical firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Artemis Optical
- Legal name
- Artemis Optical Holdings Ltd.
- Website
- https://artemis-optical.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Artemis Optical (G&H | Artemis) is a Plymouth, UK-based manufacturer of custom optical thin-film coatings and filters, serving defense primes (e.g., BAE Systems), life sciences, industrial, telecom, and consumer electronics customers with anti-reflective, laser protection, and wavelength-selective coatings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Artemis Optical industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Optical Thin Film Coatings
- NAICS
- Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510)
- SIC
- Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial & Protective Coatings (IMAEAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Specialty & Functional Coatings (Anti-microbial/Anti-slip/Insulating) (IMAIAKAM)
Keywords
Where Artemis Optical is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Plymouth
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Artemis Optical 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
- Optical Components and Coatings Sales: Direct sales of custom optical thin film coatings and optical filters to defense, aerospace, life sciences, and industrial customers. Revenue is generated through project-based contracts and ongoing supply relationships with major manufacturers.
- Custom Optical Filter Manufacturing: Manufacturing custom optical filters tailored to specific customer applications using diverse substrates and dielectric materials, serving specialized requirements across multiple sectors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom quotation-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Artemis Optical product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Artemis Optical (now G&H | Artemis) manufactures custom optical thin film coatings and filters for defense, aerospace, life sciences, and industrial customers. It deposits layered dielectric materials on diverse substrates to produce reflective, anti-reflective, and wavelength-selective coatings, complemented by optical assembly, Class 6 cleanroom manufacturing, LIDT laser testing, and metrology/surface form measurement services.
Product overview
G&H | Artemis operates as a global leader in optical thin film technology, offering a comprehensive portfolio centered on optical coatings and filter solutions. The core offering is Optical Thin Film Technology, complemented by Custom Optical Filters and Optical Assemblies. The company serves both defense markets (Head Up Displays, laser protection) and industrial/non-defense markets (approximately 40% of production). Supporting capabilities include a Laser Test Facility for LIDT testing, Metrology Services, Surface Form Measurement, Cleanroom Assembly, and comprehensive Testing and Analysis services. The company was acquired by Gooch & Housego PLC in July 2023 for $8.9 million to expand thin-film coating capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Optical Thin Film Coatings Custom optical thin film coatings (reflective, anti-reflective, wavelength-selective) deposited as layered dielectric materials on diverse substrates, used in defense, aerospace, life sciences, telecom and consumer electronics applications.
- Custom Optical Filters Custom optical filters designed and manufactured to meet specific wavelength, reflection and absorption requirements, serving defense, industrial and life sciences customers.
- Optical Assemblies Optical assembly manufacturing covering mounting, alignment, beam manipulation, and focusing components for customer optical systems.
- Head Up Display Optical Coatings Specialized optical coatings integrated into Head Up Display systems used in defense and aerospace applications for enhanced visibility and protection.
- Laser Protection Coatings Laser protection optical coatings designed for defense applications to safeguard personnel and equipment from directed-energy laser threats.
- Laser Test Facility (LIDT Testing Services) Laser Induced Damage Threshold (LIDT) testing services that evaluate the endurance and resilience of laser optics against potential damage, supporting product qualification.
- Metrology Services Measurement and inspection services using interferometers and spectrophotometers to characterize and control the quality of optical thin film coatings.
- Surface Form Measurement Services Precision surface form measurement services for optical components to verify conformance to specification and ensure optimal optical performance.
- Class 6 Cleanroom Assembly Services Precision optical assembly services carried out inside a Class 6 Assembly Cleanroom to provide contamination-free manufacturing conditions.
- Testing and Analysis Services Comprehensive optical and environmental testing and analysis services covering interferometry, humidity, climatic, temperature, salt fog, digital microscopy and Dynascope inspection.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 98% On-Time-In-Full (OTIF) delivery rate
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Artemis Optical
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Artemis Optical technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Artemis Optical partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Plymouth UniversitycoreStrategic partnership with Plymouth University focusing on coating chamber optimization. This collaboration demonstrates G&H | Artemis's commitment to advancing optical thin film technology through academic partnerships and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Li-Fi Technology PartnerscoreActive venture involving Li-Fi technology development with recently secured significant contract. G&H | Artemis provides optical coating and filter expertise for Li-Fi communication systems requiring specialized optical components.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Artemis Optical competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Jenoptik: German photonics group with optical components, coatings, and defense optics business units. Comparable end-markets (HUD, defense laser optics) and a comparable substrate/coating stack approach, though at much larger scale.
- Edmund Optics: Global optics and coatings distributor/manufacturer with a large custom optical filter and coating offering. Broader portfolio and catalog model, but directly competes for OEM coating business across defense, life sciences, and industrial segments.
- Thorlabs: Broadline photonics and optics incumbent offering catalog and custom thin-film coatings, filters, and assemblies. Differs by scale and breadth — Thorlabs serves thousands of customers from R&D through volume — but overlaps on the custom coating stack.
- Coherent (formerly II-VI): Global semiconductor and photonics incumbent with a substantial defense and commercial optics / coatings portfolio. Overlaps on laser-protection and precision coating business for defense and industrial customers, far larger in scale.
Direct peers
- Reynard Corporation: US-based custom thin-film optical coating supplier serving aerospace, defense, and commercial OEMs. Comparable custom filter design model, same defense/industrial customer mix, and similar LIDT-testing capability.
- Dynasil: US small-cap photonics company with thin-film coatings, optical filter, and precision optics operations serving defense, medical, and industrial customers. Closely comparable niche-coatings business model and similarly smaller scale than the mega-incumbents.
- Gooch & Housego (G&H Group): Artemis's parent and the group whose Optical Coatings & Filters product line now includes Artemis's thin-film capability. Directly comparable as the most relevant photonic components / coatings peer within the UK and globally.
- Optics Balzers: Specialist thin-film optical coatings manufacturer serving defense, aerospace, and life sciences markets. Closest like-for-like peer in terms of substrate diversity, dielectric stack engineering, and LIDT-qualified laser optics.
Regional players
- Materion Balzers Optics (Evatec): Thin-film coating specialist in Switzerland serving European automotive, medical, and industrial optics markets. Comparable dielectric-stack coating technology and custom design approach, but primarily European coverage rather than UK-defense focused.
Emerging players
- Agiltron: US-based specialist in fiber optic components, MEMS, and thin-film coatings for telecom, defense, and sensing. Overlaps with Artemis in custom dielectric filter design and emerging Li-Fi / telecom filter markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Artemis Optical social profiles
Digital presenceArtemis Optical financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Artemis Optical leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Artemis Optical funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Artemis Optical 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 Artemis Optical
What does Artemis Optical do?
Artemis Optical (now G&H | Artemis) manufactures custom optical thin film coatings and filters for defense, aerospace, life sciences, and industrial customers. It deposits layered dielectric materials on diverse substrates to produce reflective, anti-reflective, and wavelength-selective coatings, complemented by optical assembly, Class 6 cleanroom manufacturing, LIDT laser testing, and metrology/surface form measurement services.
Is Artemis Optical a public or private company?
Artemis Optical is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Artemis Optical founded?
Artemis Optical was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Artemis Optical based?
Artemis Optical is headquartered in Plymouth, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Artemis Optical make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Optical Components and Coatings Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom Optical Filter Manufacturing.
Who are Artemis Optical's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Jenoptik, Edmund Optics, Thorlabs and Coherent (formerly II-VI). Direct peers are Reynard Corporation, Dynasil, Gooch & Housego (G&H Group) and Optics Balzers. Materion Balzers Optics (Evatec) is listed as a regional player. Agiltron is listed as an emerging player.
Does Artemis Optical have an API?
No public API is recorded for Artemis Optical.
What industry is Artemis Optical in?
Artemis Optical's product category is Optical Thin Film Coatings. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAGAB, Industrial & Protective Coatings, with a secondary code of IMAIAKAM, Specialty & Functional Coatings (Anti-microbial/Anti-slip/Insulating). Its NAICS code is 325510 and its SIC code is 3827.