SCHOTT North America Awarded Multimillion-Dollar Contract

SCHOTT, the international technology group and inventor of specialty glass, has been awarded a multimillion-dollar contract from a leading defense contractor for infrared glass. The order supplies glass for launch tube windows, a critical component of air defense systems provided to the U.S. Army. The contract was secured through the advocacy of Rep. Matt Cartwright, from Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district, who has long supported a robust defense budget. SCHOTT’s Duryea, Pennsylvania facility will manufacture the specialty glass, as it does for other products that support the U.S. Department of Defense.

Man holding a launch tube window in his hand with girl next to him
U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) inspecting a launch tube window for the U.S. Army Air Defense System with SCHOTT Project Engineer Elizabeth Chase (Credit: SCHOTT).

SCHOTT’s infrared glass, manufactured in its Duryea, PA facility, is used in launch tube windows for air defense systems provided to the U.S. Army. SCHOTT’s recent order was the result of congressional funding for the U.S. Army Matt Cartwright (D-PA), who was instrumental in securing the contract, attended a press conference and production tour at SCHOTT’s Duryea facility.

SCHOTT is already producing launch tube window parts for an existing order and will now be able to extend production and further support employment at its site in Duryea. The company has been working with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) programs since 1969 as a leading developer of high-tech materials and components and is eager to continue its support of the department. The security and defense industry requires high-performance base materials and optical components to enable reliable and precise defense systems.  

“Our expertise in creating specialty glass suitable for defense applications has earned the trust of the U.S. Army and the DoD, and we’re appreciative of the chance to show why they keep turning to us,” said Christopher Cassidy, President of SCHOTT North America. “This contract not only supports our production site of over 150 employees in Duryea, but also strengthens our commitment to supply the U.S. defense and security market. We especially want to thank Congressman Cartwright for his continued support of SCHOTT and the entire Northeastern Pennsylvania community.”

“America’s security and defense require the best materials available, and we’re able to build them right here in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District,” said Rep. Matt Cartwright (PA-08), a senior member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee. “SCHOTT has proven its mettle with a history of innovation, and its expertise allowed us to bring federal funding back to this district.”

Rep. Cartwright visited SCHOTT’s Duryea facility Wed. April 12 and highlighted the importance of this contract and its impact on the local community.

SCHOTT’s U.S. Innovation and Technology Hub, also located in Duryea, continues to be a leader in the research and development of high-tech materials. Its participation in basic materials research has helped create the supply of dual-use products for both civilian and military applications. The company’s glass-ceramic ZERODUR® has been used in space telescopes since 1968, and SCHOTT has supported NASA’s lunar missions with optical lenses for cameras since the early 1960s.

Learn more about SCHOTT’s infrared glass and the capabilities that make it applicable to a variety of uses.

SCHOTT Glass Products Supplied to NIF

  • National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California reached new milestone in laser fusion research, achieving a net energy gain in a fusion reaction for the first time.
  • SCHOTT supplies the world’s biggest laser at NIF with laser glass and other critical optical glass components for its research
  • SCHOTT glass products supplied to NIF are manufactured and processed in Duryea, PA, and in Europe

For over half a century, scientists have tried to recreate the fusion reactions that power the sun. Their challenge has been generating more energy than a fusion reaction itself consumes. For the first time, NIF has now reached this major milestone, known as net energy gain.Last week, NIF’s experiment delivered 2.05 megajoules (MJ) of energy to the target, resulting in 3.15 MJ of fusion energy output. The result was ignition, as well as modest net energy gain. Scientists believe this technology could one day help generate commercial-scale power.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Enabled by glass: High-quality optical glass helped NIF’s scientists to reach a spectacular breakthrough in clean energy production. Picture: Damien Jemison, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Powered by high-end components – Made in the United States & in Europe

“Our optics teams are very excited about this achievement. We’ve been working toward this for decades, solving problems that seemed unsolvable. We’re looking forward to continuing to deliver perfect optical glass solutions as part of our commitment to developing clean power solutions,” says Bill James, Head of Research and Development for SCHOTT North America, Inc. SCHOTT supplies laser glass and optical glass for all relevant parts of NIFs high energy laser used for its groundbreaking research. Besides advanced laser glass, this includes fused silicaBOROFLOAT® debris shields, N-BK7 polarizers and turning mirror substrates, blast shields between flashlamps and the laser slabs, and specialty filters.

Pioneering – responsibly – together

These attributes characterize SCHOTT as a manufacturer of high-tech materials based on specialty glass. Founder Otto Schott is considered its inventor and became the pioneer of an entire industry. Always opening up new markets and applications with a pioneering spirit and passion – this is what has driven the #glasslovers at SCHOTT for more than 130 years. Represented in 34 countries, the company is a highly skilled partner for high-tech industries: Healthcare, Home Appliances & Living, Consumer Electronics, Semiconductors & Datacom, Optics, Industry & Energy, Automotive, Astronomy, and Aerospace. In the fiscal year 2021, its 17,300 employees generated sales of 2.5 billion euros (US$ 3.0 billion). SCHOTT AG is owned by the Carl Zeiss Foundation, one of the oldest foundations in Germany. It uses the Group’s dividends to promote science. As a foundation company, SCHOTT has anchored responsibility for employees, society and the environment deeply in its DNA. The goal is to become a climate-neutral company by 2030.