Gooch & Housego (G&H), a UK-based manufacturer of advanced optical components and photonic systems, has been acquired by US private equity firm Arlington Capital Partners in a deal valued at £400 million (about US$540 million). “Becoming a private company marks an exciting new chapter for G&H,” said G&H CEO Charlie Peppiatt. “Arlington understands the highly technical markets in which we operate and shares our conviction in the long-term potential for our unique technology.”

A look at the players

Founded in 1948, G&H employs roughly 1,000 people across its operations, mainly at US- and UK-based sites. The company serves three key sectors: aerospace and defense, industrial and telecom, and life sciences. Its technology portfolio spans precision optics and optical systems, acousto-optics, electro-optics, fiber optics and thin-film coatings.

“G&H occupies a unique position at the intersection of advanced photonics, precision manufacturing, and some of the most important technology applications of the coming decades,” said Peter Manos, a Managing Partner at Arlington Capital Partners. “The company’s technologies play critical roles across defense, communications and life sciences markets where performance, reliability and technical precision are paramount.”

Arlington, which specializes in government-regulated industries, currently lists about 20 other aerospace and defense firms in its portfolio. In addition to defense, the company’s primary verticals include business services and software, government services and healthcare.

Eye on expansion

The transaction was announced in July and approved by shareholders in August. It then received clearance under the UK’s National Security and Investment Act in September before closing in mid-October. According to a press release, G&H plans to leverage Arlington’s capital and strategic support to invest in staff, technologies and manufacturing capabilities, as well as to “pursue strategic acquisitions at scale.”

The buyout comes as defense applications account for a substantial share of G&H’s business. In its most recent trading update, the company reported £82 million in sales for the six months ending 31 March 2026. Aerospace and defense represented 43% of revenue, industrial lasers 37% and life sciences 20%. Arlington said it intends to expand manufacturing capacity at G&H’s existing UK and US facilities, supporting growth in aerospace and defense while strengthening the industrial and life-sciences businesses.

“G&H has spent more than 75 years developing technologies that solve extraordinarily complex challenges by controlling, manipulating and focusing light with exceptional precision,” said Ben Ramundo, a managing director at Arlington. “Consistent with Arlington’s growth-oriented investment philosophy, we are excited to leverage G&H’s deep expertise to build a world-class photonics and optics platform while maintaining the scientific precision and technical excellence that have defined the company for decades.”