European Infrared Detector Leader XenICs Inaugurates Volume Production in Singapore

sInfraRed Pte Ltd., XenICs' newly established facility in Singapore, will cover the full spectral range of XenICs' advanced product portfolio, not restricted to InGaAs products. sInfraRed focuses on market extension, local support, as well as lower-cost volume production and customization of products for local markets.

sInfraRed is expected to achieve significant cost reductions for XenICs' newly expanding largevolume production of advanced cameras and infrared detector solutions. The establishing of sInfraRed also is a consequence of the strong Euro currency position, which has led XenICs to explore alternative locations for the low-cost production of mainstream products to be able to better compete with USD-denominated competitors.

With this geo-strategic expansion, says Bob Grietens, founder and CEO of XenICs, we combine XenICs' flexibility in terms of advanced product development and state-of-the-art product performance with substantial price reductions in volume markets. We can also secure supplying worldwide markets that are better served locally than from our European home base.

sInfraRed will be headed by Raf Vandersmissen, drawn from XenICs headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. sInfraRed will act as sales office for Asia, Australia and Middle East to support the existing distributor network in these regions. It will also extend the XenICs sales network to new regions and identify new markets for XenICs products. In addition, sInfraRed will serve as a manufacturing base for ROICs and PCBs in subcontracting projects. Another function of the new facility is custom product development for camera and ROIC design.

Key technology developments, says Grietens, will remain at XenICs headquarters in Leuven, Belgium, focusing on higher resolution, improved InGaAs technology, better performance, and special features.

XenICs banks on high-end, cooled, InSb, MCT, QWIP as well as volume-oriented uncooled InGaAs and bolometer arrays both line-scan and 2-D, and also on advanced infrared detection solutions and highly innovative cameras and imaging systems. XenICs products cover the infrared from below 1 μm up to 14 μm and extend well into the visible realm. XenICs also builds bolometer-based products for a wide range of applications. Uncooled bolometer products, says Grietens, are set to capture thermal imaging and thermography applications in commercial, industrial, medical, security-related and scientific markets. XenICs offers a broad portfolio of standard products and offers specialized detector solutions and electro-optic instrumentation.