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Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing in Germany Industry Data and Analysis
Turnover in the optical instrument and laser manufacturing industry has risen by an average of 2.6% per year since 2021 to 14.2 billion euros. The reason for this positive development is not only the versatility and rapid technological development of the industry's products, but also the government support for the sector. The industry's laser-based products are already an integral part of processes in many areas such as medical technology, production technology and consumer electronics. Among other things, they ensure greater precision and enable automation. Optical instruments as well as analysers and measuring devices are in turn widely used in research, for example in the fields of medicine, pharmacy, biotechnology and chemistry. In the field of camera products, on the other hand, manufacturers are increasingly focussing on products in the high-end segment in order to increase their profits in the face of substitution pressure from smartphones.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2016-2031. The most recent publication was released January 2026.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany operates under the WZ industry code C26.70DE. This sector includes the manufacture of optical instruments, lenses and photographic equipment such as cameras, laser systems, optical analysers and light meters. Lenses are also coated, polished and used in this industry. It does not include the manufacture and processing of ophthalmic optical products or the manufacture of television and video cameras. Related terms covered in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany include co2-laser, certification, fibre laser, artificial intelligence (ki), machine learning, photonics and ultrasonic.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany include Optical components and parts, Parts and accessories and Lasers and other optical devices.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany include Carl Zeiss AG, IPG Laser GmbH and ALS Automated Lab Solutions GmbH.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed product and service segmentation, analysis of major markets and international trade data for the for the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany in 2026?
The market size of the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany is €14.2bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany in 2026?
There are 647 businesses in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.2 % between 2021 and 2026.
How may import tariffs affect the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany?
The Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany is likely to be significantly impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a high share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany?
The Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany is likely to be significantly impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a high share of industry revenue.
Has the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany has been growing at a CAGR of 2.6 % between 2021 and 2026.
What is the forecast growth of the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany?
The biggest companies operating in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany are Carl Zeiss AG, IPG Laser GmbH and ALS Automated Lab Solutions GmbH
What does the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany include?
Optical components and parts and Parts and accessories are part of the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany?
The company holding the most market share in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany is Carl Zeiss AG.
How competitive is the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Optical Instrument & Photographic Equipment Manufacturing industry in Germany.
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