CVI was founded in 1972, in Albuquerque, New Mexico to support High Energy Laser Development work at Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories. CVI entered the Research optics market and the Industrial optics market in this decade. Notable products included components for bar code scanners. CVI published one of the first optical component catalogs, setting an industry standard for quality, specifications, and even a part numbering scheme which has been imitated ever since.
CVI entered the Medical Device market with optics for the first laser eye surgery system. They established CVI-KEOC in South Korea to provide low-cost substrates and to have a local factory in the Asian market. Significant growth began when CVI entered the Semiconductor Equipment market with 248nm KrF optical products.
Starting in 1995, CVI was recognized as one of the fastest growing technology companies in New Mexico. They have been a New Mexico Flying Forty award recipient ever since. They expanded their Albuquerque site to its present size (66,000 sq. ft.) in 1997.
The new millennium started with the acquisition of Technical Optics on the Isle of Man in the British Isles. CVI Technical Optics is the industry leader in the manufacturing of etalons and flat substrates. CVI Technical Optics fabricates and coats the largest flats of any of the CVI Facilities, up to 20 inches in diameter. The Korean facility was expanded as they entered the Consumer Electronics market with DVD optics and DLP filters.
In 2005, CVI acquired Optical Components inc. of Covina, CA. In 2006, CVI acquired Quality Laser Optics on the Isle of Man. In 2007, CVI acquired Melles Griot. |
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