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Laser Components USA, Inc.
116 South River Road
Building C
Bedford, NH 03110
USA
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Company History

Tradition is paramount in our company. Over the years, a number of events have been established that neither the employees nor the management would miss. This includes not only the company Christmas party, but also the annual company outing. A place of community and communication is last but not least the company cafeteria where free meals are available daily.

LASER COMPONENTS - A Family-Run Business in Its Second Generation


Patrick Paul, Günther Paul

Günther Paul took a chance in 1982 when he went into business for himself and founded Laser Components GmbH with the support of his wife Monika. What began in their own home has developed over thirty years into an impressive, internationally-operated company with foreign and domestic production facilities and branch offices. No less impressive is the network of reliable premium suppliers and distributors. Have a look at the history:

1982   Günther Paul founded LASER COMPONENTS
Laser Components was founded as a limited liability company for the sale and production of lasers and optoelectronic components in Gröbenzell (west of Munich).
1986Production Facility for Laser Optics
The first facility was opened for the in-house production of dielectric coatings. 
1987Blau Optoelektronik GmbH
Together with Frank Blau, a facility was founded in Überlingen (on Lake Constance) for the production of laser modules, which are sold under the FLEXPOINT® trademark.
1993Move to Olching
Laser Components GmbH moved to its own building in the neighboring village of Olching.
1993U.K. Sales Office
Laser Components (UK) Ltd.: The first sales office was opened in the United Kingdom
1993Production Facility for Lead-Salt Laser
This technology was acquired from the Fraunhofer Institute in Freiburg.
1994

ISO9001 Certification
Laser Components obtained ISO 9001 certification for the first time.

1995Production Facility for Fiber-optic Assemblies
A production facility was opened for the assembly of optical fibers used, for example, in the transmission of high power levels.
1996French Sales Office
Optophotonics SA is a French sales office that was opened as part of the Laser Components Group.
1996Photonics News
The first issue of the company newsletter, Photonics News, was published.
1997Webseite
www.lasercomponents.com - The first company website went online.
1998Production Facility for III-V Semiconductors
The assembly technology of III-V semiconductors became the company’s new core competence.
2000U.S. Sales Office
Laser Analytics, Inc. was acquired and renamed Laser Components Instrument Group (now: Laser Components USA, Inc.). They started out initially not only as a sales office but also manufactured IR spectrometers.
Production Facility for Pbs Laser Diodes
Technology was transferred from Laser Analytics to LC’s German headquarters.
2001LT LaserTools GmbH
Founded together with Franz Westermair, LaserTools GmbH initially specialized in the production of laser light barriers. This Munich-based company is now an established force for custom solutions in optoelectronic measurement technology.
2003Production Facility for Pulsed Laser Diodes
The first production facility abroad emerged in Canada. Paul Rainbow founded Laser Components Canada, Inc. in Montreal as a production facility for pulsed laser diodes with the following wavelengths: 850 nm, 905 nm, and 1550 nm.
2004

Production Facility for Avalanche Photodiodes
The newly established LASER COMPONENTS Detector Group in Arizona launches our first avalanche photodiode. The detectors manufactured by Dragan Grubisić and his team are the counterparts to LASER COMPONENTS Canada's emitters to be used in the same applications. After a successful start with silicon APDs, the company has expanded its portfolio to include InGaAs models.
Production Facility for IR Spectrometers
IR spectrometer technology was transferred from Laser Components Instruments Group in the U.S.A. to Germany.
Calibration Laboratory
Laser Components GmbH founded a calibration laboratory for laser energy and laser power detectors in Olching in cooperation with Gentec-EO.

2005ISO 9001 Certification of Laser Components Canada
Laser Components Canada was the first production facility abroad to obtain ISO 9001 certification.
2006Laser Components Group’s Succession Plan
Patrick Paul, the elder son of the company founder Günther Paul took over as managing director of Laser Components.
2007Name Change in France
With the retirement of the managing director of Optophotonics SA, the French company was completely taken over by the Laser Components Group and renamed Laser Components SAS. Christian Merry became the new managing director.
2008Production Facility for Spherical Lenses
The coating of laser optics has been one of the core competencies of LC since its beginning. This was expanded by the production of precision optics in 2008. 
2009Acquisition of Second Building in Olching
With the purchase of the neighboring building, the utilizable office and production space was increased by 2500 m² to ensure further expansion at the headquarters in Olching.
2010Production Facility for Single Photon Counters
With detectors from Laser Components Detector Group and electronics from Germany, the production of COUNT® single photon counters began in Olching. 
2013Production Facility for IR Detectors
Laser Components Detector Group’s production facility was expanded to include the development and production of IR detectors made of germanium, InGaAs, extended InGaAs, and InAs.
2014Production Facility for Pyroelectric Detectors
Laser Components Detector Group acquired the company Microwatt LLC. The group in Stuart, Florida, has been operating since then under the name Laser Components Pyro Group.
Sales Office in Scandinavian/Nordic Countries
Laser Components Nordic AB opened under the management of Mikael Winters in Gothenburg/Sweden.
2015Production Facility for PbS/PbSe Detectors
Laser Components Detector Group was expanded further: The production of IR detectors made of PbS and PbSe began in Phoenix.
2016ISO Class 7 Cleanroom
A class 7 cleanroom was opened in Olching in connection with the assembly of optical fibers to serve the further development of medical markets.
EN ISO 13485 Certification
Laser Components GmbH obtained ISO 13485 certification. 
2017Environmental and Operational Qualification for Automobile Applications
Laser Components Canada obtained AEC-Q101 qualification.
2018Generation change
Patrick Paul takes over the company management from his father Günther.
2018LASER COMPONENTS Canada, Inc.
LASER COMPONENTS acquires full ownership of the company building in Quebec.
2020LASER COMPONENTS Detector Group 
The former units Pyro Group and Detector  Group are merged and now operate under the name LASER COMPONENTS Detector Group in Arizona.
The new Detector Group manufacturing and administration building is opened in Chandler, Arizona.
2021LASER COMPONENTS Germany GmbH
Spin-off of Laser Components Germany GmbH out of the Laser Components GmbH
The Laser Components GmbH changes its name to Photona GmbH.
2023An Extended Management Team
Sales Manager Sven Schreiber is appointed General Manager of LASER COMPONENTS Germany GmbH.