Investment Firm Carlyle Group Acquires Optics Company Meopta

Photonics Spectra
Aug 2023Global investment firm Carlyle has agreed to acquire Meopta Optika, a manufacturer of optical, optomechanical, and optoelectronic solutions. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Carlyle said it aims to partner with Meopta’s management team to capture opportunity in more advanced built-to-spec use cases through an increased focus on R&D. Carlyle further aims to expand Meopta’s international presence through the creation of a direct sales network.

The acquisition, which the parties expect to close later this year according to a joint press release, covers Meopta’s 140,000 m of manufacturing facilities, including 30,000 m of cleanroom facilities. In 2021, the company added a new production space designed mainly to produce optical and mechanical components to support the development of optomechanical assemblies used in the semiconductor industry. Meopta has over 1700 employees, including over 300 engineers and a global sales presence. Meopta bases all of its operations at its Prerov, Czech Republic, site. Operations span the design, development, and production of optical components, high-precision mechanical parts and assemblies, cleanroom subsystem assembly, and metrology including the measurement and testing of component and subsystem attributes.

Global investment firm Carlyle has agreed to acquire Meopta Optika, a manufacturer of optical, optomechanical, and optoelectronic solutions. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. In 2021, Meopta — citing increased demand for optics and sensors from the semiconductor industry — unveiled plans for increased production space dedicated to optical and mechanical components, which are the main building block of the optomechanical assemblies used in the semiconductor industry. Courtesy of Meopta.

Carlyle last year announced an investment in TESCAN ORSAY HOLDING. In acquiring a majority stake in Tescan, Carlyle added Tescan’s portfolio of electron microscopy solutions and products, including instrument add-ons and large-volume workflows. Earlier this year, life sciences product developer Resonetics — backed by funds managed by Carlyle and private equity firm GTCR — acquired Memry Corp. and SAES Smart Materials in a deal valued at $900 million.

Per the deal, Meopta’s owners, the Rausnitz family, will retain a minority stake in the acquired company.