Interoptics Ltd.

Title

Interoptics Ltd.

Type

Company

Coverage

Ottawa, ON

Begin Date

1973-01-01

Active Until

1996-01-01

Location

14 Capella Court, Nepean, ON (1987-)

Product Areas

Optics

Activities

Designing
Manufacturing

Timeline

- 1973 – Founded as Interoptics Ltd. by Jeffery Wimperis, the first of a few companies founded by Wimperis, possibly as a spinoff from D.G. Instruments. (“Jeffery Robert Wimperis”; “The Bell-Northern Research influence”)

- 1987 – Company is active at 14 Capella Court, Nepean, ON, hiring someone for the “fabrication of a wide variety of prototype and semi-custom components from glass, quartz, semi-conductors and exotic crystals.” (“Optical Fabrication Specialist”)

- 1990 – Company is active on Capella Court, Nepean, ON. (“The companies,” March 8, 1990)

- 1991 – Company is acquired by Lumonics Inc. [supposed]

- 1992 – Company is active as a division of Lumonics Inc. at Capella Court, Nepean, ON, with a 11,000 square foot facility and 28 employees. (“The companies”, March 5, 1992)

- 1993 – Active (“Photonics Industry…”)

- 1993 – Active in the production of optical parts—beam splitter and glass arms—for the WINDII interferometer (“WINDII, Wind Imaging Interferometer on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite”)

- 1995 – The company, a division of Lumonics, employs 35 people in Nepean, Ottawa, ON. (“The companies”, March 2 1995)

- 1996 – Company is renamed to Lumonics Optics Group, and becomes folded into the Lumonics heading. (“Also in the news…”)

- 2001 – Lumonics, now GSI Lumonics, spins off its optical division to a new company called Wave Precision. (“Spinoff Doctors”)

Sources

“The Bell Northern Research influence” The Ottawa Citizen, October 5, 1999: HT6 (74)

“The companies” The Ottawa Citizen, March 8, 1990: 91

“The companies”, The Ottawa Citizen, March 5, 1992: 78

“The companies” The Ottawa Citizen, March 2, 1995: 69

Industry Canada. “Photonics Industry and Research Capability Guide” (1993)

“A Family Tree of Home-Grown* Ottawa-Carleton High Tech Companies” Silicon Valley North February 1996: 10-11 [Ingenium image #4302-4304]; appears as linked to Lumonics, suggesting a relationship of employees.

“Jeffery Robert Wimperis” Obituary The Ottawa Citizen, August 12, 2016 (https://ottawacitizen.remembering.ca/obituary/jeffery-wimperis-1065935526) [22-07-24]

Lewotsky, K. “Also in the news…” Laser Focus World April 1, 1996 (https://www.laserfocusworld.com/software-accessories/software/article/16549044/also-in-the-news-) [22-07-24]

“Optical Fabrication Specialist” The Ottawa Citizen, January 31, 1987: 31

Orton, Marlene "Spinoff doctors: GSI Lumonics, Wave Precision and the new road to growth". The Ottawa Citizen, 6 March 2001: HT22

Shepherd, G.G. et al “WINDII, Wind Imaging Interferometer on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite” Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 98 No. D6 (1993): 10733

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