TRUMPF@TRUMPF_NewsOptics industryPicksAI score5959
Why we recommend it: Order growth coincided with rising margins; combined with the semiconductor and data center demand cited in the press release headline, this offers a read on shifting conditions for laser equipment makers.
Shanghai Fanchuangwei Technology's high-transparency optical AR glasses lens project has settled in Huangyan, Taizhou, to be carried out by Fanke Technology (Taizhou) in two phases, with a total investment of about 550 million yuan. Phase one, at about 150 million yuan, plans to complete an innovation center and pilot production line by 2027; phase two, at about 400 million yuan, targets annual production of 100 tons of high-purity silicon carbide optical material by 2028. The project targets AI glasses and AR terminals, covering the full chain from optical materials and etching processes to optical devices.
Why we recommend it: The original article gives the investment figures for the two phases, production line timelines, and a target of 100 tons of silicon carbide optical material per year, useful for gauging the pace of silicon carbide optical waveguide industrialization.
Honglei Optics has delivered batch orders of its direct-write lithography equipment for TGV glass substrates. Glass substrates show transmission loss of about 0.3 dB/mm at 10 GHz, with dielectric loss more than 50% lower than organic substrates, making them suitable for CPO optical modules, Micro LED, and Chiplet packaging. The industry widely regards 2026 as a key validation year for glass substrates, with first commercial introductions expected around 2028.
Photonics.com's October 16 weekly briefs roundup covers multiple photonics industry developments, including a $19.2 million US Army Research Office grant to the University of Central Florida. The briefs also note that GF will reallocate $955 million from existing CHIPS Act funding to accelerate investments in silicon photonics, silicon germanium, and advanced packaging at its Malta and Burlington fabs.
ZEISS has acquired holography company Ceres Holographics, which will be integrated into the ZEISS Microoptics business unit, focused on volume production of holographics, once the deal closes. ZEISS said the acquisition will advance the industrialization of holographic windshield display applications and accelerate entry into broader holographic markets such as retail, near-eye displays and public transportation.
Why we recommend it: Following the acquisition, Ceres will be integrated into ZEISS Microoptics, offering a view of how holographic windshield displays move from technology to volume production.
Fiber operator Ziply Fiber is further expanding its wholesale fiber services in the Washington State data center market.
Lightwave broadband buildout roundup: Wecom Fiber and partners including the Arizona Commerce Authority celebrated the fiber broadband buildout in the town of Parker, while Pavlov Media is also expanding its gigabit fiber network in central Illinois.
SVG's Micro-Nano Optical Manufacturing Center of Excellence has broken ground in Suzhou with a total investment of about RMB 557 million, including about RMB 353 million for construction and RMB 204 million for equipment, on a 25,000-square-meter site. The center will establish an AI + nano integrated manufacturing platform targeting semiconductor lithography, optical inspection, and novel displays, and will undertake basic research, key technology development, and pilot-scale translation.
Integrating sphere and light measurement specialist Labsphere has announced the acquisition of Photon Gear, which designs and manufactures ultra-precision custom optical systems and lens assemblies and offers multi-wavelength interferometric testing. Deal terms were not disclosed. The combination will bring together Labsphere's light generation, control and measurement platforms with custom lens assembly and interferometric testing capabilities for customers in semiconductor, aerospace and defense markets.
Dongbai Group announced on October 12 that it planned to acquire a 52.6667% stake in Hangzhou Kualing Optoelectronics for RMB 316 million to enter the indium phosphide photodetector chip market. On October 15, it announced the termination of the transaction after the parties failed to agree on key terms. Dongbai Group's share price swung sharply over the three-day period.
Hesai held the global launch of Kosmo at its Maxwell super factory in Shanghai on October 14, unveiling a 3D world data engine and disclosing that it has entered robotic motion modules and begun commercial deliveries. Li Yifan said that LiDAR units that once sold for more than RMB 300,000 can now be produced for around USD 200, with one unit rolling off the line every five to six seconds.
Following Sha Shuli's withdrawal from the transaction, Advanced Fiber Resources has adjusted its acquisition target to a 99.97% stake in Suzhou Anjiexun, at a transaction price of about RMB 1.6395 billion, against an appraised value of about RMB 1.650 billion for all of Anjiexun's equity. The deal will be paid through share issuance, convertible bonds and cash, with the cash consideration totaling about RMB 492 million.
Why we recommend it: The original article provides the valuation, pricing and payment structure, helping readers understand M&A valuations in the optical communications passive components sector
Hengmai Optics recently shipped eight ultra-precision optical processing systems with apertures of 2.2 m, 1.6 m and 1.8 m, following delivery of 14 systems with apertures from 1.2 m to 3 m in September. Cumulative shipments have now exceeded 1,000 units, with average annual shipment growth of 100% over the past three years. QYResearch data put the global ultra-precision optical processing equipment market at about $126 million in 2025.
A team led by the University of Central Florida (UCF) will receive a five-year, $19.2 million grant from the US Army Research Office to study light propagation and control in complex dynamic environments. The project, led by Guifang Li, will explore weak backscattering coherent measurement, inverse methods, AI analysis and multi-plane light conversion, with the goal of measuring and rapidly correcting optical field distortions when remote sensors or beacons cannot be placed. Potential applications include directed-energy systems, biological tissue imaging, laser medicine, remote sensing and free-space optical communications.
ASML said its existing 2027 and 2028 supply plans cannot fully meet customer demand and that it is studying a further expansion of 2028 capacity beyond the previously planned 30% increase. Quarterly sales through September 27 reached €11.7 billion, up more than 50% year on year. The NXE:3800F EUV lithography system slated for introduction next year will raise productivity from 230 to 260 wafers per hour.
Why we recommend it: Equipment expansion and productivity upgrades are proceeding in parallel, offering concrete industry clues on how AI demand feeds into EUV lithography supply constraints.
German optical components company Schäfter+Kirchhoff has completed its previously announced management transition, moving to a two-person co-leadership structure after a one-year handover period.
Photonics.com people-on-the-move roundup for October 14: Edmund Optics has appointed a president for its advanced manufacturing business; Jürgen Popp, scientific director of the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, received the Ellis R. Lippincott Award and other honors at the SciX 2026 spectroscopy conference.
Hyundai Mobis has sold its automotive lighting business to France's OPmobility for an enterprise value of about $443 million, with the unit generating roughly €1.6 billion in revenue in 2025. Meanwhile, Xingyu has joined the global top ten in automotive lighting, while BYD, Leapmotor and Great Wall Motor are bringing lighting production into their own factories.
FiberHome Ruituo, a wholly owned subsidiary of FiberHome Technologies, has filed for construction of Phase II of its industrial-scale project for oversized optical fiber preforms, with total investment of about RMB 398 million. Once completed, it will add 600 tons of annual preform capacity. In May, the company unveiled an optical fiber preform measuring 0.3 meters in diameter and 3.5 meters in length, from which about 20,000 kilometers of fiber can be drawn from a single piece.
In June 2026, Hisense Group strategically took over a long-established fiber laser company and renamed it Haipulin. Four months later, Haipulin presented a full range of laser cutting, welding, cladding and 3D printing solutions at CIIF, focusing on new energy, aerospace, steel structures and offshore engineering.
Excelitas subsidiary Luxium Solutions (acquired by Excelitas in October 2025) will change the legal entities of four operations and consolidate four U.S. Luxium brands starting in January 2027.
Armstrong is using Harmonic's virtualized broadband technology and cOS platform to transition to DOCSIS 4.0 while expanding PON-based FTTH services.
Dongbai Group announced on the evening of October 11 that it plans to acquire 52.6667% of Hangzhou Kuailing Photonics for CNY316 million, entering the indium phosphide photodetector chip market. The deal values Kuailing Photonics at CNY600 million. Kuailing Photonics develops, manufactures and sells photodetector chips through its wholly owned subsidiary Guangte Technology.
STAR Market-listed Nanrui Radar announced plans to use its own funds to acquire a 51% stake in Guangzhou Xintai Communications for RMB 161.67 million. Upon completion, Xintai Communications will become a controlled subsidiary, giving the company a foothold in the optical communications sector.
China Telecom's backbone 100G ROADM equipment (2026) procurement project is set to use direct procurement, covering ROADM network expansion equipment and services for five regions — North China, South China, Northwest, Southwest and Northeast — as well as the Xinjiang (China-Kazakhstan) domestic extension segment. The direct procurement suppliers are Huawei, ZTE and FiberHome.
Shenzhen Zhishang Technology announced the signing of a 2027 Demand Forecast Cooperation Memorandum with customer PH. PH expects to purchase MPO fiber optic patch cords and other fiber optic connectors from the company in 2027, with a forecast target value of $500 million (approximately RMB 3.346 billion). C114 believes optical interconnect demand has expanded from optical modules and fiber optic cables to upstream optical components.
Why we recommend it: The original article gives a $500 million connector demand forecast from a single customer, clearly showing how AI optical interconnect demand is propagating upstream to components
SCHOTT announced that CEO Torsten Derr will step down on October 31 for family reasons, with Stefan Brandl taking over from November 1. The article notes that the transition comes as SCHOTT faces performance pressure and a strategic transformation window.
LightPath Technologies has appointed Scott Payette as vice president of the company and general manager of its subsidiary G5 Infrared. Payette brings more than 30 years of experience in photonics and optical systems.
PHIX Photonics Assembly, a photonic integrated circuit design, assembly and packaging service provider, has opened a cleanroom and office in Bozeman, Montana, bringing engineering support and production capabilities to the area.
Lumentum CEO Michael Hurlston said in an interview in Tokyo that demand for some products will remain about 70% unmet next year, while other products still face a 30% demand gap through 2028. The company's 2029 capacity is nearly fully booked, and it is ramping up production at full speed.
Why we recommend it: The source gives specific demand gap ratios, vividly illustrating the shortage of upstream laser chips for AI optical communications
Lightwave reports a market research forecast that, driven by AI data center construction, the Ethernet optical transceiver market will grow 120% in 2026.
Lightwave broadband buildout roundup: Greenlight Networks is advancing its fiber expansion in New Jersey, while operators including Comcast, GoNetspeed, Optimum, Shentel, Spectrum and TDS Telecom are also expanding their networks.
The industrialization project for ultra-precision high-performance optical thin films by Huzhou Zhongteng Huasheng Optoelectronics has completed fit-out in Shuanglin Town and entered trial production. At full capacity, it will produce 1 million optical thin film units per year, with expected annual sales revenue exceeding 40 million yuan.
O-Film is reportedly the core optics supplier for the Huawei Pura 90 Pro and Pro Max, exclusively supplying the main camera and 200 MP periscope telephoto modules for both models. The Pro Max's external telephoto system is also supplied by O-Film, which has invested in dedicated equipment and carried out renewed process validation for the project.
LightCounting's latest report says the Ethernet optical module market had been expected to slow in 2026, but data from the first nine months defied expectations: cloud providers' capital spending accelerated sharply from late January to early February and remained strong over the following six months. The full-year Ethernet optical module market is now forecast to grow 120%.
Why we recommend it: The original article explains that the upward revision was driven by cloud providers' capital expenditures, helping to gauge the scale of AI-driven demand for optical modules
Machine vision LED lighting maker TPL Vision has acquired the intellectual property of Drew Lear Technology's DRX and DLX product platforms.
Lightwave reports that data center capital spending rose 92% year over year in the second quarter, driven by AI demand and rising memory costs.
Hamamatsu Photonics and MEETOPTICS have announced a partnership to exclusively integrate MEETOPTICS' scientific AI chat tool into Hamamatsu's product portfolio, helping users find photonic components.
Zhone Technologies has acquired Tellabs Access, deepening its optical LAN capabilities and expanding into government, education, healthcare, transportation and enterprise network markets.
AR glasses display developer Cellid has partnered with Japanese eyewear retailer Megane Top to jointly develop and sell AR glasses.