Thorlabs buys Melles Griot division

Newton, NJ and Carlsbad, CA, April 2, 2004--Thorlabs has purchased Melles Griot Ltd. (Cambridgeshire, England), a division of Melles Griot ( Carlsbad CA). The UK facility manufactures nano-positioning systems for high precision alignment applications, along with optical tables and full vibration isolation systems. Thorlabs said it will continue manufacturing operations at the UK site, which was a critical factor in the deal. Both companies said they are committed to ensuring that their customers and their employees are positively impacted by the strategic move.

According to Blake Fennell, Melles Griot CEO, "We strive to be a leaner, more focused organization. More than 80% of our revenue is now OEM based, equally split between Lasers and Optics. This is where our investment in infrastructure and IP will most benefit our customers and other stakeholders. We also continue to invest in logistics and channel development for our Catalog business."

"The Melles Griot Ltd. products add another dimension to the Thorlabs product offerings, and the new engineering and manufacturing base in the United Kingdom will significantly enhance the service provided to our customers in the UK," said Alex Cable, President and founder of Thorlabs. "We are quickly reaching critical mass in terms of a complete source of photonics tools and technologies."