As global supply chains continue to shift and demand for advanced optical components accelerates, Torrent Photonics is positioning itself at the centre of a renewed push for American-made photonics manufacturing with a global reach. Formed from the photonics division of Salvo Technologies, Torrent Photonics officially launched as a unified brand in early 2024 – but its roots extend far deeper, drawing on decades of optical expertise, legacy companies, and hard-won manufacturing knowledge.
At the heart of Torrent’s strategy is a simple proposition: combine deep optical engineering expertise, advanced coating, precision aspheric fabrication, and photolithography capabilities, and scalable domestic production under one roof. For customers in defense, security, infrared imaging, and advanced sensing, that integration is becoming not just attractive, but essential. This is particularly true, of course, for sensitive application verticals such as defense and life sciences, where ITAR and ISO certifications are critical.
Although Torrent Photonics is a relatively new name, it is, of course, built on established optical brands that have long been respected within the industry. Among them are Kreischer Optics – Director of Engineering Tristan Kreischer’s family business – along with UK-founded Knight Optical (acquired in 2024), Graflex, and Arrow Thin Films.
“Torrent itself is new,” explains Dominic Monafo, Business Development Manager, “but the names behind it – Kreischer, Salvo – are what made it. We can’t forget that heritage. Those brands are the reason customers trust us.”
That heritage matters not only from a branding perspective, but from a practical one. Each acquisition has added complementary capabilities: from high-laser-damage thin films and precision flats, to imaging systems, boresight and pan-tilt assemblies, and off-the-shelf optical components. “The big focus now is moving toward volume optics,” says Tristan Kreischer. “There’s a real need in the U.S. for domestic production of optical components at scale. That capacity just hasn’t been there.”
Scaling optical coatings for performance and volume
Optical coatings are a cornerstone of Torrent Photonics’ offering, supporting applications that span ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths. The company designs and manufactures coatings for demanding environments, including defense and security systems where durability, spectral precision, and laser damage resistance are critical.
What differentiates Torrent’s coating services is not just performance, but integration. Rather than treating coatings as an isolated process, Torrent works closely with customers at the design stage to ensure coatings, substrates, and tolerances are aligned for manufacturability.
“Nothing affects price and manufacturability more than tolerance,” notes Monafo, who recently moved into a business development role after working in production. “A lot of customers know what performance they want, but they don’t always know what’s reasonable – or even measurable – when it comes to optical tolerances.”
By bringing coating engineers, optical designers, and fabrication specialists into the same conversation early, Torrent helps customers avoid costly redesigns and unrealistic specifications. The result is coatings that meet real-world performance requirements while remaining scalable for production.
One of Torrent Photonics’ most powerful, but often underappreciated, capabilities is its in-house photolithography. This enables the production of patterned optical filters, a critical technology for imaging systems, spectral sensors, and advanced optical assemblies.
Customers may initially approach Torrent for a single component, only to discover that the company can also support patterned filters, spectral devices, and imaging subsystems under the same roof. “People are often surprised when they visit,” Kreischer says. “They may know us for one thing, but they don’t realise we also have lithography, imaging, and spectral expertise – all in-house.”
Photolithography-patterned filters allow for highly customised spectral responses, spatial filtering, and integration directly onto substrates or within assemblies. When combined with Torrent’s coating expertise, this enables tightly controlled optical performance with fewer suppliers, reduced risk, and faster iteration cycles. For defense and security customers in particular, this integration is critical. Programmes increasingly demand not just prototypes, but production-ready designs that can transition smoothly into volume manufacturing without moving offshore.
Designing for manufacturability from Day One
Torrent’s emphasis on design for manufacturability is key. Rather than simply quoting to a drawing, Torrent actively collaborates with customers to refine designs so they can be produced reliably, affordably, and at scale. “When you work with Tristan, he’s not just giving you a price,” Monafo explains. “He’s giving you a price that you can afford – and that can actually be delivered.”
This approach is especially valuable in photonics, where tolerancing is complex and often misunderstood. Optical systems are frequently specified with boilerplate tolerances that dramatically increase cost without improving system-level performance. By helping customers understand which tolerances truly matter – and which can be relaxed – Torrent enables better outcomes for both sides. It also shortens development cycles, an increasingly important factor as customers face pressure to deliver faster amid global uncertainty.
Like much of the industry, Torrent Photonics has faced challenges related to material availability and lead times, but rather than allowing those constraints to stall programmes, the company has adopted a flexible, creative supply approach. “We’re extremely adaptable,” Monafo says. “We keep material in-house, repurpose certified stock where possible, and even make our own blanks. That lets us get prototype batches out quickly, even when supply chains are tight.”
This adaptability extends across Torrent’s vertically integrated operations – from fabrication and coating to lithography and assembly – helping customers maintain momentum even in turbulent conditions. Defense and security applications currently represent the majority of Torrent Photonics’ business, a trend that has intensified in recent years. However, the company also supports medical, research, and commercial customers, particularly where advanced coatings and spectral control are required.
One area of rapid growth is infrared optics. As material constraints and geopolitical pressures reshape sourcing strategies, designers are becoming more creative – and more reliant on domestic partners with deep IR expertise. “We’re definitely seeing the infrared market booming,” says Kreischer. “New orders are coming in, and designers are rethinking how they approach materials and manufacturing.”
Rather than launching flashy new capabilities, Torrent’s near-term focus is on capacity: fine-tuning different facilities for different types of work, expanding volume production, and integrating recent acquisitions effectively.
If there is one message Torrent Photonics wants the market to understand, it is this: the company’s true value lies in the combination of its capabilities.
From optical coating services and photolithography-patterned filters to fabrication, assembly, and DFM expertise, Torrent offers a level of integration that few suppliers can match. Customers may come for one component, but they often stay for the broader engineering partnership. “We’re not done expanding,” Kreischer says. “And when customers really see the depth of expertise we have across so many areas, that’s when they understand what Torrent is about.”
