Exosens to invest €20 million in expanding production capacity across Europe and U.S.

PARIS: In response to increasing demand, Exosens has announced a significant investment of €20 million over the next two years to expand its production capacity both in Europe and the United States. This investment will mark the establishment of Exosens’ first U.S. manufacturing site, dedicated to producing “Made in America” image intensifier tubes.

The expansion aims to bolster Exosens’ position to capture a larger share of the world’s largest market, which represents 45% of the global market and is poised for strong growth in both commercial and defense sectors.

The global night vision market is benefiting from rising demand, driven by increased defense budgets and the necessity for armies worldwide to enhance their night-fighting capabilities. The resurgence of high-density combat has underscored the critical importance of night operation abilities as a key tactical advantage. NATO and Tier-1 allies continued to ramp up their procurement of night vision systems in 2024, though they are still far from reaching the targeted equipment rate.

With decades of expertise, Photonis, a brand of Exosens, offers image intensifier tubes—the engine of night vision devices. These tubes improve soldiers’ tactical situational awareness, agility, mobility, and their targeting and driving capabilities in the darkest of nights.

To meet the increasing demand for night vision, Exosens is investing €20 million to expand its production capacity not only in Europe but also in the U.S. This marks the first time the company will have a production plant in the U.S., emphasizing additional market opportunities with locally produced “Made in America” image intensifier tubes.

The new installation will be located in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, where the group already has its Photonics Scientific Inc. subsidiary. Exosens plans to leverage the support and synergies available within the group to optimize the setup time for manufacturing the image intensifier tubes, which is expected to commence in early 2027.

“We are pleased to announce a new investment in our capacity on U.S. ground, which represents a major step in our strategy. Expansion into the U.S. market presents a significant opportunity to strengthen our position as a global leader in image intensifier tubes. This new capacity will also enable us to meet customers’ demand for large-volume, high-performance products manufactured in the U.S.,” said Exosens CEO Jérôme Cerisier.

Exosens will publish its full-year 2024 results on March 3, 2025, before the market opens.