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Gooch & Housego acquires two companies to diversify defence business

Gooch & Housego has completed two acquisitions to strengthen its aerospace and defence manufacturing abilities: Kent Periscopes, a UK-based supplier of periscopes and related equipment for land-based armoured fighting vehicles; and Alfalight, a Wisconsin-based manufacturer of laser-based, electro-optic systems for defence and security applications. 

Kent Periscopes was founded in 2005 and has established itself as a key supplier of major vehicle programmes to blue-chip military manufacturers. It is based in St Asaph, North Wales, has a proven capability in providing system level optical products for use in harsh environments, and has capabilities in product design.

Kent adds to G&H’s precision opto-mechanical assembly capabilities, and will help G&H to move up the value chain and further diversify the aerospace and defence sector. 'Kent is a well-established business with an impressive list of international blue chip customers,' commented Mark Webster, chief executive officer of Gooch & Housego. 'We believe that G&H will enable this business to fulfil its true potential through leveraging our greater global reach and our complementary technological capabilities.'

Founded in 1999, Alfalight has established itself as an expert in solid state lasers and is designed into a number of long-term contracts for the defence sector in the USA. Alfalight is complementary to G&H’s existing Boston, Massachusetts business and will be incorporated into this business unit. G&H will benefit from this acquisition through its deep ties with key defence customers. 

'Alfalight’s expertise in diode lasers in the US defence sector is an excellent fit for our Boston business and will enable it to establish a critical mass in this marketplace,' said Webster.

'These acquisitions meet our strategic aims of moving up the value chain and diversification through increasing our footprint in the aerospace and defence sector.' 

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Gooch & Housego 

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