Optics Balzers off to a Successful Start

From the OC Oerlikon (SWX:OERL) business unit Optics, an autonomous company has emerged: Optics Balzers AG. Local private investors have committed themselves financially to the new enterprise together with the company’s management team. Optics Balzers AG, a global leader of customized optical thin-film components and subassemblies, will further expand its activities in existing and new markets with its own sales organization.

Since January 1, the Balzers based optical coating business has been separated from OC Oerlikon. This has produced Optics Balzers with headquarters in Balzers, Liechtenstein – a midsize company with lean structures, global customer and supplier relationships, and state-of-theart manufacturing equipment. The new management includes Martin Kaspar (CEO), Esther Schneider (Finance), Dirk von Frajer (Marketing & Sales), Norman Korner (Operations), Othmar Züger (Research & Development), Guglielmo Cappellari (Product Management).

Investors are entrepreneurs with a long-term view

Optics Balzers is firmly anchored in Liechtenstein. The new Board of Directors will not change this. With Dr. Christoph Studinka, Chairman of the Board (Zurich); Alex Vogt, Delegate of the Board (Balzers); Hanspeter Reinhardt, Member of the Board (Maienfeld); and Werner Vogt (Balzers), entrepreneurs from Liechtenstein and Switzerland have committed themselves as investors who will be proactively involved in shaping business development together with the executive management. They will introduce additional know-how and a network of international relationships into the organization. In order to respond faster and more flexibly to the requirements of today’s volatile markets, the structures will be adjusted.

International sales organization

Though the outlook for 2009 does not give rise to any euphoria in view of the tense situation of the global economy, the management and board of Optics Balzers are confident. The reasons for their optimism are the company’s team of 150 highly motivated and qualified employees, its strong market position, and its broad technology portfolio ranging from optical thin-film coatings, glass processing, patterning, sealing, to the production of complete optical subassemblies. The company plans to expand its sales organization in order to further intensify its dialog with customers and to enter new markets.

Pioneering accomplishments and innovations for tomorrow’s markets

Since its establishment in 1946, the core competence of Optics Balzers has been optical thin-film coatings. As a technology leader for customized optical coatings and applications, the company pioneers thin-film coatings and solutions such as sputtering technology, low defect coatings and patterning. Working closely with customers, innovative solutions are created such as "low defect lids”, designed for producing a perfect image quality in digital high end cameras or special filters for car driver assistance systems, for example lane departure warning or night vision systems. In addition to customized industrial applications, the company’s most important markets are Advanced Lighting, Automotive, Biophotonics, Projection Display, and Sensors & Imaging.

Optics Balzers will be present at the SPIE Photonics West and BiOS 2009 in San José, California, USA, from January 24 – 29, 2009.

Optics Balzers AG (former Oerlikon Optics) enables innovative optical solutions for more than 60 years. As a global leader in optical thin-film components and subassemblies, Optics Balzers focuses on selected markets such as Advanced Lighting, Automotive, Biophotonics, Projection Display, and Sensors & Imaging. The company possesses a comprehensive know-how in optical thin-film coatings, glass processing, patterning, sealing, and optical subassemblies. Optics Balzers has 150 employees and generates annual sales of about CHF 35 million. The company is headquartered in Balzers, Liechtenstein.

More information: www.opticsbalzers.com