Sofradir and ATD Electronique sign European distribution agreement

Palaiseau, near Paris, France, November 15, 2017 – Sofradir, the global leader in advanced infrared (IR) detectors for aerospace, defense and commercial markets, today announces it has entered into a distribution partnership with ATD Electronique to extend the European customer base for Sofradir’s Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) detectors based on infrared InGaAs (Indium Gallium Arsenide) technology.

European customers using Sofradir’s InGaAs image detectors will now have the option to receive design support and supply-chain management services from ATD Electronique, a renowned distributor of leading brand name innovative electronic components and CMOS image sensors.

Sofradir’s high-speed and low-noise InGaAs SWIR detectors are ideally suited to industrial applications, such as machine vision, where superior techniques are required to support increased production needs and faster inspection speeds. Other typical applications include: semiconductor inspection, sorting of agricultural products, chemical purity analysis, recycling and hot process monitoring for the glass or metal industries. This list is rapidly growing as industrial manufacturers increasingly solve challenges by using SWIR to go beyond the limits of conventional visible light cameras.

“Sofradir is pleased to partner with ATD Electronique in offering customers a new fully comprehensive technical and logistical support package to integrate InGaAs detectors,” said Frederic Aubrun, VP of sales at Sofradir. “The capacity of our products to meet increasing needs for wider scopes of vision, combined with ATD’s know-how and experience in working with key manufacturers across Europe, constitute a high added value resource. Our aim is to provide customers with the right solutions and quality service they need to differentiate and improve their market competitiveness.”

Sofradir, the world’s largest supplier of infrared (IR) detectors, annually produces approximately 8,000 IR detectors with unit numbers steadily rising. Its InGaAs SWIR products generate significant interest in various industrial and surveillance applications due to their leading edge performance. ATD will help Sofradir address market requirements for quick turnaround technical support, end-to-end imaging system expertise and to shorten procurement cycles.

“ATD Electronique is pleased to add Sofradir’s InGaAs high-performance sensors to its portfolio. This will offer our customers additional innovative products to make them more creative and market competitive,” said Antoine Hide, CEO of ATD Electronique. “With SWIR sensors, the invisible becomes visible. This new imaging ability gives rise to pioneering industrial vision applications. We are proud that Sofradir trusts us to promote their long-term InGaAs technology in Europe.”

About ATD

Founded in 1990, ATD Electronique offers innovative components dedicated to imaging applications for the European market. Its product portfolio includes: image sensors (CCD, CMOS, InGaAs, Thermal etc.), optics, interface circuits, imaging processors, cables and M-OLED displays. It also covers development tools and design services enabling fast and efficient realization of new high-performance camera systems for markets such as machine vision, medical, life sciences, surveillance and automotive.

www.atdelectronique.com

About Sofradir

Sofradir is the leading developer and manufacturer of key classes of advanced infrared (IR) detectors for military, space, scientific and industrial applications. Its vast IR product portfolio covers the entire spectrum from visible and near infrared to very far infrared. Sofradir pioneers developments in cooled IR detectors based on a sophisticated high performance technology: Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT), to which Sofradir has added Indium Antimonide (InSb), Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) and Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) technologies. Many of the world’s system makers use Sofradir’s military-grade, battlefield proven IR detectors for missile seekers, targeting pods, armored vehicle sights, handheld thermal imagers and other airborne, naval and ground vehicle applications. Sofradir is the leading European manufacturer for IR detectors deployed in space. Founded in 1986, Sofradir is headquartered in Palaiseau, near Paris. It carries out research and development as well as high volume manufacturing at two facilities: Veurey-Voroize, near Grenoble, and Palaiseau, near Paris. Sofradir owns two subsidiaries: ULIS, a high volume manufacturer of uncooled microbolometers based in Veurey-Voroize and US-based Sofradir-EC, a provider of uncooled and cooled IR imaging cores and engines, located in Fairfield, New Jersey. Together Sofradir, ULIS and Sofradir-EC employ more than 900 staff. The group generated an annual turnover of $250M in 2016.

www.sofradir.com