Corning Buying Component Biz

Specialty glass and ceramics giant Corning Inc. will acquire Optimum Manufacturing Corp. for its Specialty Materials unit,the company announced today. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Located in Charlestown, N.H., Optimum makes precision-machined components for the aerospace and defense, scientific, medical, and communications industries, including optical housings, mirror blanks and satellite components. The company will become part of Corning's Specialty Materials segment, which provides materials science, optomechanical design, diamond turning, optical grinding and polishing, and thin-film coatings to the aerospace and defense market.

"By bringing precision optomechanical structures into the Corning portfolio, we not only broaden our optics capabilities but also create greater value for our customers by being able to offer integrated designs and assemblies," said Andrew Filson, business director, advanced optics, Corning Specialty Materials.

“For the past two decades Corning has worked with Optimum and, during this time, we have developed numerous techniques to produce advanced metal optic blanks and optical benches,” said John Lucey, business manager, aerospace and defense, Corning Specialty Materials.

Optimum's president, Tim Donovan, will join the leadership team of its aerospace and defense segment, Corning said.

For more information, visit: www.corning.com