Navitar expands lens design & prototyping capabilities with Special Optics acquisition

February 8, 2008, Rochester, NY--Navitar, a manufacturer and distributor of precision optics and opto-mechanical assemblies for the machine vision and digital projection industries, acquired Special Optics (Wharton, NJ), a privately owned manufacturer of optical assemblies for long-range surveillance, laser scanning, laser projection, ultraviolet, visible, and infrared applications.

Founded in 1965, Special Optics is a fully integrated provider of custom, precision optical and electro-optical solutions that span numerous markets and applications. According to Julian Goldstein and Jeremy Goldstein, co-presidents of Navitar, the acquisition of Special Optics increases Navitar's product offerings and complements Navitar's strong lens manufacturing capabilities and ability to bring those innovative designs into volume production. The acquisition also combines Navitar's volume production expertise and Special Optics rapid design and prototype capabilities to increase its competitive advantage and technical offering to military contractors and commercial accounts seeking to outsource optics-based assemblies.

David Manzi, president of Special Optics said, "The acquisition by Navitar provides us with an expanded range of capabilities to offer our customers. Now, when the rapid prototyping stage has been completed, Navitar's world-leading production facilities can easily accommodate volume production as programs grow. With the design and prototyping strengths of Special Optics combined with the financial strength and production capabilities of Navitar, we can now accommodate anything from custom optical assemblies used in long distance surveillance or unmanned aerial vehicles to over 1,000 units per year for precision lenses used in new biomedical applications."

For more information, visit www.navitar.com.