10 Okt. Jenoptik plans to expand optics production
An expansion of high-end manufacturing for semiconductor optics will be built at Jenoptik’s production campus in Jena, according to the photonics group. The company reports that the future expansion will be used to manufacture high-quality optical components that will primarily be used in the semiconductor equipment industry. Once preliminary planning is complete by the end of 2025 and the subsequent approvals and contracts have been finalized, the conversion of the currently vacant hall is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2026. According to Jenoptik, production in the new manufacturing environment is planned to start in the second half of 2027.
The comprehensive renovation of the Jenoptik campus is planned in two stages. First, an area of around 2,000 m² will be modularly expanded and modernized to accommodate additional production capacity, with a focus on energy efficiency. Depending on medium-term growth and global requirements for production capacity, expansion is possible if necessary – particularly in business with customers from the semiconductor equipment industry. In addition to the investment in the expansion of space in the low double-digit million euro range, the company says it plans to invest in modern machinery and infrastructure and to create around 50 new jobs when production starts in the new environment. Jenoptik also emphasizes that the investment will promote both growth and the consistent implementation of modern value stream concepts. In optics component manufacturing, this should lead to optimized material flows and more efficient, transparent processes – while maintaining high quality.
“By investing in one of our core businesses, we are responding to the growing demands of our customers in the growth field of semiconductor technology,” said Jenoptik CEO Dr. Stefan Traeger. “Furthermore, the investment is a commitment to our main location in Jena, where we are part of a unique ecosystem in the photonics industry in which business, research institutes, and universities work together and important structures for suppliers, training, and qualified specialists are in place.” Colette Boos-John, Thuringia’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Agriculture, and Rural Development, who attended the announcement, added: “The optics industry remains a growth sector for Thuringia. Given the current economic stagnation in Germany, Jenoptik’s decision to invest in its Thuringian headquarters sends a strong signal. It demonstrates fundamental confidence in the location, which we must justify at both federal and state level by further improving the economic framework conditions.” The state will continue to closely monitor and support the positive development of one of its flagship companies, the minister said.
Source and image: www.jenoptik.com