Jenoptik CEO Stefan Traeger (left) with Thuringia's minister of economic affairs, Colette Boos-John, and Jenoptik executive board member, Ralf Kuschnereit (right). [Image: Courtesy of Jenoptik]
Global technology group Jenoptik announced on 9 September plans to expand its production campus in Jena, Germany. The addition will take place in a currently empty hall and will facilitate the manufacturing of optical components. The company says the renovations, which will cost an amount in the “low-double-digit million-euro sum,” will begin in the summer of 2026.
Increased demand for semiconductor tech
Jenoptik offers a diverse range of products related to imaging, lidar, optoelectronics, optical systems and others. These products target many markets, including semiconductor technology, medical technology, metrology and smart mobility.
Jenoptik President and CEO Stefan Traeger said that the new facility will specifically cater to the semiconductor technology industry and is a response “to the increasing demands of our customers in [that] growth area.” He went on, “Furthermore, the investment is a commitment to our main location in Jena, where we are part of a unique ecosystem in the photonics industry in which business, research institutes and universities collaborate and important structures for suppliers, training and qualified specialists are available.”
Expanding and modernizing
The renovation will begin with an expansion and modernization of 2000 m2 of the existing hall. The company notes that energy efficiency will be considered to accommodate the added production capacity.
The space will include state-of-the-art machinery and infrastructure to produce high-end optical components that are necessary for high-performance photonic modules and systems.
The space will include state-of-the-art machinery and infrastructure to produce high-end optical components that are necessary for high-performance photonic modules and systems. Jenoptik also plans to focus on modern value stream concepts with this investment, which it says will enable the company to optimize material flows in the optical component manufacturing space and increase efficiency and transparency without sacrificing quality standards.
Looking ahead
The technology group stated that an additional expansion is possible depending on medium-term growth with semiconductor equipment industry customers and considering the necessities for the global alignment of manufacturing capabilities. The Jena expansion comes on the heels of Jenoptik’s opening a new factory in “Silicon Saxony” in Dresden, Germany, in the spring of 2025. The new factory produces micro-optics and sensors for the semiconductor equipment industry.
“The optics industry remains a growth sector for Thuringia,” said Colette Boos-John, Thuringia’s Minister for Economic Affairs. “In view of the current economic sideways movement in Germany, it is a strong signal that Jenoptik is now also investing at its Thuringian headquarters. This demonstrates fundamental confidence in the location, which we must justify at the federal and state level by further improving the economic framework conditions.”
