ER Precision Optical welcomes you our newly designed website.  Within these pages you will discover who we are and what we do.  In this part of the website, the Blog, you will find up-to-date information on the top stories in our industry–and more.

We will bring you investigative blogs about the latest developments within the Optical industry.  And we will bring you our own story, from right here at our own manufacturing facility in Apopka, Florida.

  • Have you ever wondered about what we do in our 22,000 sq. ft. facility? This is the website to visit, and the blog to read.
  • If you are curious about how we grow crystals, we will be letting you know in future articles.
  • Likewise, if you want to know the impact of Silicon and Germanium on your life, these are topics we will investigate.
  • Do you know how vital night vision and infrared technology is for defense?  You have found the webpage of the company that makes the precision lenses and other components for those technologies–and the US government.

Take a Little Guided Tour Through our Website:  Discover What We Do

As you might have guessed from our home page,  we are a “manufacturer of precision IR optics, prisms, windows, and optical assemblies. We also specialize in advanced crystal growth.  ERPOC grows both Germanium and Silicon to meet our client’s specifications.

Likewise you should know we are intensely involved in the recycling of Germanium for such customers as the United States Department of Defense. In later blogs, we’ll be telling you some of the fascinating stories behind all of these products and services. Until then, please check out our Products and Services page.

A Quick and Amazing Story:  See Our Products at Work for You

Many people who think of lenses only think of eyeglasses and cameras. But precision lenses are part of the components that defend your life and liberty every day.  You can find products from ER Precision Optical in targeting systems and infrared vision in US tanks and on Apache Helicopters.  Imagine this scenario:

Imagine you are in a time of war or conflict. It’s a dark night. You and your team are flying

Infrared and targeting technologies protect our soldiers.

We cloak today’s helicopters in tomorrow’s technology.

low in your Apache helicopter.  A terrorist enemy in an undisclosed location is well armed and on the alert for your arrival. 

Now, keep in mind helicopters are notoriously loud.  Thus, if you did not have thermal imaging or infrared vision or an adequate targeting system, what do you think would happen as you approach the enemy stronghold?

If you guessed the enemy would hear your helicopter blades, you are correct.  The enemy would have plenty of time to load their rockets. They could fire on you, long before you arrive on the scene.

However, if you do have thermal imaging, night vision and 21st century targeting systems, you can see the enemy before they can hear your blades. Having these technologies and the  advanced lenses in them,  cloaks your helicopter in protection.  Depending on your target system, sometimes you can “see” them from as far as 2 miles away. Products and components from ER Precision Optical give our soldiers the edge they need.  

The Value of our Products:  Crystal Clear

The little non-fiction story above proves how vital this technology is to our armed forces. As you tour the pages of our informative new website, you can learn more about how ERPOC can maximize machining efficiencies for both blanks and finished parts.  See more about our advanced crystal growth and Infrared Optical Blanks on our Products and Services Page. 

Company News:  A Re-occuring Feature of the New ER Precision Optical Corporation Blog

After perusing our home page, you have an idea about what the optics industry does on a grand scale.  However, here on the blog page, we will also be bringing you information about specific events, awards, business policies, new equipment, innovative products and contracts that involve ERPOC.

Each blog will always showcase an article of national importance. However, as stated above, we will also bring you stories and announcements that give you a glimpse into company life, an up close and personal view here at ERPOC.  And for the first story that gives you such a glimpse, read on.  Celebrate how we have become a “Business to Watch” in Florida:

ERPOC Company News: “Company to Watch” Award:  Better Than Winning an Academy Award

We always thought we were a company worth watching. Now, read on to see how it is official.

ER Precision Optical is Honored for Superior Business Leadership.

This “idea” pushed us to become a  “Business Worth Watching.”

This year, GrowFL, under the Edward Lowe Foundation honored 50 Florida companies with the title, “Companies Worth Watching.” (Check out GrowFL and its supportive on line work.)

They recognized E R Precision Optical for high performance, innovation, and entrepreneurship.  (Learn more about the Edward Lowe Foundation and its legacy for entrepreneurs at this inspiring online resource.)

If you own a Florida Business, dare to take the quiz. (Then you can discover if your company qualifies for competition as a “Second Stage Business.)

We must tell you that around the office and campus of ER Precision Optical Corporation, we have felt a buzz of pride ever since the announcement. Just like the winners of Oscars, we’d like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude. We humbly thank our employees, vendors, and supporters for their help in gaining this prestigious honor. 

If we were in the movie business, this really would be like winning a Florida-Sponsored, business-oriented “Oscar.”  Now, we want our website visitors understand some details behind this distinctive business honor.

First, be aware that the independent judges named only 50 honorees out of 400 companies which qualified just to compete for the honor of “A Business to Watch.”

A Business Honor in Spite of the Pandemic Difficulties

“A panel of independent judges comprised of past honorees, economic development leaders and corporate partners of GrowFL. elected the 50 honorees.” All of us here at the ER Precision Optical Corporation were proud of the standards set by GrowFL. 

To become a “Business Worth Watching” honoree, the judges challenged us to excel in some tough criteria:

1.   Regardless of the economic difficulties imposed by the pandemic, we had to submit proof of “an increase in sales and/or unit volume…” (Again, we say, “Thank you, team!”)

2.  GrowFl states that “Second-stage companies are defined as those with 6 to 150 full-time employees and between $750,000 and $100 million in annual revenue. This separates us from start-ups at one end of the business spectrum and multi-billion-dollar corporations at the other end.

3.  We had to demonstrate growth in number of employees. And likewise, we had to prove the “impact of the business in the job market.”

Proof in our Numbers:  We Put Our Success in Writing 

4.  The judges land GrowFl looked at “current and past financial reports.”  Then they investigated the innovation of our products and services.

5.  They honored ER Precision Optics as well as 49 other businesses because of our “response to adversity,” as well as to success.

6.  They judged all 400 competing businesses on their altruistic endeavors.  They noted our contributions to aid community-oriented projects. Find out more about how we do this by checking out our “Who We Are” and “Our Team” sections of this website.

Success is a Normal Business Protocol

Dr. Tom O’Neal, founder of GrowFL made the following statement:   “These stand-out companies are all led by entrepreneurs, and have demonstrated not only their willingness to grow…” And then he added, with a significant smile, “but their capacity to do it successfully,” He gave the reasons we are set “to make a significant impact on Florida’s economy” with our products.

  • He hailed the critical intellectual property and niche positions of all the honorees.
  • For all 50 0f the honorees, he said, “These business owners demonstrate strong leadership, philanthropic involvement, perseverance and all it means to be an entrepreneur.”
  • Thus, applause is due to our CEO, Mark Hess, although we might embarrass him a little by mentioning his strong leadership in this blog article.

“The 50 second-stage companies named as GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Honorees reflect the exceptional leaders who are making a difference in growing and diversifying the state of Florida,” said Jennifer Barrows, Chairman of the GrowFL Advisory Board and Business Development Executive with Withum.

A Note of Appreciation to Our New Blog Readers

Although It Is Sometimes Underestimated, Our Clients Know the Value of This Multi-Purpose
Element.

Thank you for reading our ER Precision Optical Corporation blog and visiting our new streamlined website.  We hope you visit this blog regularly.  Look for another ERPOC blog post in about ten days.

  • Our mission is to keep you informed with worldwide news in Precision Optical Components.
  • Likewise we’ll update you on Infrared Optical Technology as well as Germanium and Silicon Crystal Growth.
  • Plus we will always bring you our local company information. Ultimately, your success means our success.

We leave you with a final quotation from Arthur C. Clarke, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”