International optoelectronic company, Zeiss, has confirmed its intention to establish a new photonics business unit, bringing together a broad range of applications and services, such as planetarium optics and spectroscopy.
The new division, set to begin operation in October this year, will be known as ‘Zeiss Photonics & Optics’. Led by André Kutz, currently the Zeiss Group’s head of strategic corporate development, and Bernhard Ohnesorge, who represents the firm’s ‘shared production unit’ on the management board, the unit will include existing business outside of the four main Zeiss segments.
Zeiss CFO, Stefan Müller, who will have executive responsibility for the new division, commented: “The establishment of Zeiss Photonics & Optics provides the appropriate environment for these smaller, specialised units with management, culture, and business supporting functions tailored to their needs. The goal of this new strategic business unit is to make the individual businesses thrive economically and to support the further development of the Zeiss brand.”
Regarding the leadership of the new unit, the firm stated: “Both [Kutz and Ohnesorge] have international experience in strategic development and in building and growing new and smaller businesses with a strong focus on technology and innovation.”
Overall, Zeiss Photonics & Optics will represent approximately €200 million in annual sales – the equivalent of around 2% of the broader Zeiss operation, which posted annual sales of more than €10 billion last year.
Businesses moving from the firm’s existing consumer products division will include industries such as cinematography, mobile imaging, photography, and optics for hunting and nature observation. These areas will be joined by a focus on micro-optics, spectroscopy, planetariums, and simulation projection solutions. Both new and old activities will be based out of locations in China, Germany, Hungary, India, the UK, and the U.S.
The various consumer-facing elements of the new business are thought to be important to the wider Zeiss brand, with the firm pointing out that more than 20 million people visit a Zeiss planetarium annually. At the same time, over 15 million people use Zeiss optics for mobile photography.
Reflecting on where demand and application may lie, the firm added: “Films produced with Zeiss lenses fascinate audiences worldwide in theatres and on streaming platforms. Micro-optical high-performance innovations like multifunctional glass from Jena, presented at the CES in Las Vegas in 2024, will have broad applications in the automotive and smart home industries.”
