Lattice Materials, an advanced materials manufacturer and a subsidiary of The Partner Companies (TPC), has announced plans to construct a new 80,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Bozeman, Montana, marking a significant expansion of its domestic production capabilities for critical infrared optical components. Groundbreaking is scheduled for spring 2026 at 3565 Prince Lane, as the company moves to address rising demand from aerospace and defense customers and strengthen U.S.-based supply chains for sensitive materials.
The new facility will more than double Lattice’s existing footprint and is expected to create 50 new jobs over the next three years. The expansion is designed to support growing requirements for high-precision silicon and germanium optics used in mission-critical defense systems, while positioning the company for long-term growth as global demand for advanced infrared technologies accelerates.
The project is supported in part by an $18.5 million investment from the Department of War, aimed at improving domestic availability of materials essential to advanced infrared and imaging systems. The funding reflects increasing federal focus on securing supply chains for technologies critical to national security, particularly amid geopolitical tensions and export controls affecting access to strategic materials.
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte said the expansion underscores the state’s role in advanced manufacturing and semiconductor-related industries. He noted that the investment will help create well-paying jobs, reduce reliance on foreign sources for critical minerals, and support broader efforts to strengthen U.S. economic and defense resilience.
Lattice Materials is one of a limited number of U.S.-based companies capable of custom-growing germanium and silicon crystals and manufacturing precision optical components to tight tolerances. Its infrared lenses, windows, and mirrors are used across a wide range of defense platforms, including F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, missiles, satellites, and thermal targeting and night-vision systems. The company’s role has gained heightened strategic relevance following export restrictions imposed by China in recent years, which highlighted vulnerabilities associated with dependence on overseas sources for critical materials.
U.S. Senator Steve Daines described the Bozeman expansion as a boost to both the local economy and national security, emphasizing the importance of domestic production for defense optics and advanced semiconductor-related materials. U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy echoed these views, stating that expanding U.S. capabilities in critical minerals and materials is essential to reducing reliance on foreign adversaries and ensuring military readiness.
According to Lattice, the new facility will significantly enhance its manufacturing and processing capabilities. Planned features include what the company describes as the largest boule growth capacity for optics in North America, expanded production of large and standard-sized boules, internal zone refining, alkali etching, and mega boule cropping. The facility will also introduce advanced grinding, machining, and polishing capabilities, enabling tighter tolerances and more complex optical geometries to meet evolving customer requirements. Lattice has stated that it will pursue LEED Gold Certification for the building, aligning the expansion with sustainability goals.
“This new facility represents a pivotal step as demand accelerates for high-performance, U.S.-manufactured germanium optics driven by increased defense investment,” said Travis Wood, President of Lattice Materials. He added that expanding domestic capacity will allow customers to innovate with greater confidence while maintaining resilient supply chains for mission-critical technologies.
The expansion aligns with the broader growth strategy of The Partner Companies, which operates a portfolio of 11 brands serving aerospace, defense, medical technology, energy, and other industrial markets. Dan Brumlik, founder and co-chairman of TPC, said the new facility reflects the group’s focus on anticipating customer demand, shortening delivery timelines, and providing trusted U.S.-made solutions for high-performance applications.
TPC’s investment in Lattice is supported by a series of capital initiatives completed in 2025. These include a strategic equity investment of more than $100 million from Tensile Capital Management, aimed at strengthening TPC’s balance sheet and long-term growth flexibility, as well as a syndicated credit facility exceeding $200 million led by Huntington Bank with KeyBank as joint lead arranger. The financing is intended to accelerate expansion across TPC’s portfolio companies.
With more than 30 years of expertise in the highly specialized Czochralski crystal growth process, Lattice engineers produce application-specific germanium and silicon crystals with precise control over diameter, orientation, and electrical resistivity. Beyond defense, the company supplies custom solutions for commercial optics, lasers, semiconductors, research and development, and thin-film coating applications. The Montana expansion positions Lattice to play a larger role across these markets while reinforcing the domestic industrial base for critical optical and semiconductor materials.
