Danish instrumentation company FOSS has taken a decisive step into the optics and photonics sector with the acquisition of Wasatch Photonics, a North American specialist in spectrometers and transmission gratings. The deal, which is valued at DKK 250 million (approx. $38.8 million), represents one of the largest acquisitions in FOSS’s nearly 70-year history and reinforces the firm’s ambition to diversify its portfolio beyond its traditional stronghold in the agricultural and food industries.

Founded in 2002 and named after the mountain range overlooking Salt Lake City, Utah, Wasatch Photonics has grown from a small optical-engineering firm into a recognized global supplier of high-performance optical components. Its portfolio spans Raman spectroscopy systems, transmission gratings and optical modules used in sectors as diverse as medical diagnostics, laser manufacturing, defense and security, and more.

For FOSS, headquartered in Hillerød, Denmark, the move signals a strategic diversification of its technology portfolio. Since its founding in 1956, the family-owned company has become a global provider of high-tech analytical solutions for agriculture, feed and food production, employing more than 1400 employees worldwide.

The acquisition reflects a broader movement among established analytical and instrumentation companies to expand into photonics, a field increasingly central to precision measurement, automation and data-driven process control.

The acquisition of Wasatch Photonics, which currently employs around 80 people, is the fourth addition to FOSS’s growing optics portfolio. The group’s photonics holdings are now organized under a newly created division, FOSS Photonics, an initiative designed to foster collaboration and share expertise while allowing each business to operate independently.

FOSS’s CEO, Kim Vejlby Hansen, who will assume the role of chairman of Wasatch Photonics’ board, explained the shift: “We believe optical components will be a key ingredient in multiple solutions across industries, and FOSS has the capabilities to support and drive this development”. He added, “The acquisition of a technologically strong, highly competent company like Wasatch Photonics is a great opportunity to invest further in this area”.

For David Creasey, CEO of Wasatch Photonics, the new partnership reflects a strong strategic and cultural fit. “FOSS is a family-owned, long-term-oriented business with a deep focus on innovation and being first to market,” he said.

The acquisition reflects a broader movement among established analytical and instrumentation companies to expand into photonics, a field increasingly central to precision measurement, automation and data-driven process control.