High-Growth Sector
Photonics & Optoelectronics
A market overview of active UK companies in Photonics & Optoelectronics. Figures exclude dormant and dissolved companies. Data refreshed 30 Apr 2026.
Active companies
206
trading & on register
Reporting turnover
35
17% of active
Reporting employees
192
93% of active
Register health
7%
of 230 on register are dormant
Company size (employees)
Active companies reporting employee counts
Turnover distribution
Active companies reporting turnover
Where they're based
Active companies by major UK city (30km London, 15–20km elsewhere)
New formations by year
Active companies incorporated under this category (dormant shells excluded)
Largest by turnover
| # | Company | Turnover | EBITDA | Employees | 3y growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OXFORD INSTRUMENTS PLC | £500.6M | £87.7M | 2,334 | 11% |
| 2 | GOOCH & HOUSEGO PLC | £152.0M | £20.1M | 975 | 7% |
| 3 | CARL ZEISS LTD | £107.7M | £12.8M | 300 | 1% |
| 4 | CARL ZEISS MICROSCOPY LIMITED | £96.8M | £9.3M | 187 | 17% |
| 5 | LUMENTUM TECHNOLOGY UK LIMITED | £89.4M | £50.1M | 444 | -39% |
| 6 | CARL ZEISS VISION UK LIMITED | £81.8M | £6.7M | 207 | 7% |
| 7 | THORLABS LIMITED | £79.0M | £12.6M | 332 | 6% |
| 8 | ANDOR TECHNOLOGY LIMITED | £76.3M | £2.7M | 369 | 7% |
| 9 | SILS LIMITED | £62.2M | - | 46 | 2% |
| 10 | EDMUND OPTICS LTD. | £47.3M | £1.2M | 48 | 4% |
| 11 | HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS UK LIMITED | £38.6M | £4.6M | 68 | 12% |
| 12 | GOOCH & HOUSEGO (TORQUAY) LIMITED | £28.5M | £6.0M | 227 | 9% |
| 13 | HUBER+SUHNER POLATIS LIMITED | £22.7M | £1.3M | 211 | -8% |
| 14 | GOOCH & HOUSEGO (UK) LIMITED | £21.7M | £1.3M | 172 | 2% |
| 15 | EXCELITAS NOBLELIGHT LIMITED | £20.0M | £17.0M | 144 | -3% |
| 16 | M SQUARED LASERS LIMITED | £17.8M | £5.1M | 68 | 8% |
| 17 | M SQUARED TECHNOLOGIES GROUP LIMITED | £17.8M | £4.9M | 68 | - |
| 18 | FIBERCORE LIMITED | £16.4M | £7.5M | 50 | 2% |
| 19 | HYALTECH LTD. | £13.6M | £3.0M | 82 | 26% |
| 20 | IPG PHOTONICS (UK) LIMITED | £9.7M | £4.9M | 15 | 19% |
Fastest-growing
Active companies with turnover ≥ £1m, sorted by 3-year turnover CAGR
| # | Company | Turnover | Employees | 3y turnover growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PRECISION OPTICAL TRANSCEIVERS UK LIMITED | £4.0M | 12 | 232% |
| 2 | NKT PHOTONICS LTD | £5.1M | 51 | 34% |
| 3 | HYALTECH LTD. | £13.6M | 82 | 26% |
| 4 | IPG PHOTONICS (UK) LIMITED | £9.7M | 15 | 19% |
| 5 | CARL ZEISS MICROSCOPY LIMITED | £96.8M | 187 | 17% |
| 6 | HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS UK LIMITED | £38.6M | 68 | 12% |
| 7 | OXFORD INSTRUMENTS PLC | £500.6M | 2,334 | 11% |
| 8 | KELVIN NANOTECHNOLOGY LIMITED | £2.4M | 16 | 11% |
| 9 | GOOCH & HOUSEGO (TORQUAY) LIMITED | £28.5M | 227 | 9% |
| 10 | M SQUARED LASERS LIMITED | £17.8M | 68 | 8% |
| 11 | GOOCH & HOUSEGO PLC | £152.0M | 975 | 7% |
| 12 | ANDOR TECHNOLOGY LIMITED | £76.3M | 369 | 7% |
| 13 | CARL ZEISS VISION UK LIMITED | £81.8M | 207 | 7% |
| 14 | THORLABS LIMITED | £79.0M | 332 | 6% |
| 15 | ADVANCED FIBREOPTIC ENGINEERING LIMITED | £7.5M | 57 | 5% |
| 16 | EDMUND OPTICS LTD. | £47.3M | 48 | 4% |
| 17 | SILS LIMITED | £62.2M | 46 | 2% |
| 18 | GOOCH & HOUSEGO (UK) LIMITED | £21.7M | 172 | 2% |
| 19 | FIBERCORE LIMITED | £16.4M | 50 | 2% |
| 20 | CARL ZEISS LTD | £107.7M | 300 | 1% |
Newest formations
Most recently incorporated active companies
| # | Company | Location | Incorporated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SINGULAR PHOTONICS LIMITED | Edinburgh | 2024 |
| 2 | DP OPTICAL LTD | Southgate | 2024 |
| 3 | MPOPTICS LTD | Leicester | 2023 |
| 4 | AUTOMOTIVE OPTICS LTD | Bristol | 2023 |
| 5 | GLITTERINTECH LTD | Cambridge | 2023 |
| 6 | VORTEX OPTICAL HOLDINGS LTD | Wellingborough | 2023 |
| 7 | OPUS ASSOCIATES LIMITED | Stanmore | 2023 |
| 8 | PHOTONIC TECHNOLOGIES UK LIMITED | Witney | 2022 |
| 9 | BD OPTICS LIMITED | Birmingham | 2022 |
| 10 | IC OPTICS LTD | Southend-On-Sea | 2022 |
| 11 | VTEC PHOTONICS LTD | Paignton | 2022 |
| 12 | UK GSR TECHNOLOGY LIMITED | Manchester | 2022 |
| 13 | SERENOX LIMITED | Oxford, | 2022 |
| 14 | PHOTONIC SOLUTIONS GROUP LIMITED | Chester | 2022 |
| 15 | NORTHUMBRIA COATINGS LTD | Alnwick | 2022 |
| 16 | LUMAI LIMITED | Oxford | 2021 |
| 17 | OPTIFIBRE LIMITED | Burscough | 2021 |
| 18 | LIGHTERA UK LTD | 6 8 William Brown Close | 2021 |
| 19 | WAVE PHOTONICS LTD | Cambridge | 2021 |
| 20 | LIGHTCOM NETWORKS LTD | Mayfair | 2021 |