June 2, 2006, Triptis, Germany--By changing its name to Jenoptik Polymer Systems (JPS) GmbH, Wahl optoparts GmbH is taking an important step in the new Jenoptik Group by opening a new production building for plastic optics and optical systems--the largest and most modern in Europe--in the little town of Triptis in the Federal State of Thuringia, Germany.

Four sites operated by Jenoptik's subsidiaries have been brought together under one roof in the new building within the Triptis industrial park, encompassing an investment of around 9 million euros--excluding equipment. In the new production facility JPS GmbH will be able to manufacture plastic optics more efficiently than in the past. Optics design, injection molding machines, state-of-the-art coating systems, the assembly technologies for the integration of the optics within complete assemblies and systems, as well as the assembly and packaging technology which was only added in October 2005--in other words the entire manufacturing process chain--are now housed under one roof. This will enable the Jenoptik subsidiary to manufacture not only plastic optics in large volumes but also complex optoelectronic systems on a customer-specific basis and to a high standard of quality.

Plastic optics are used today particularly in medical equipment, automobiles, modern multimedia devices (web cams, camera mobile phones) as well as in the area of industrial measurement technology and mechanical engineering. Demand has risen strongly across the entire range of applications over recent years. In the area of medical technology these are mainly optoelectronic systems for so-called one-off diagnostics, including for home use, which are increasing the demand for the lower cost alternative to glass optics.

For more information, see www.jenoptik-ps.de.