LaCroix Precision Optics invests $13.8M to expand optics manufacturing facility in Arkansas
LaCroix Precision Optics has announced plans to expand its optics manufacturing facility in Batesville, Arkansas. The company, which produces high-precision optical components, is investing $13.8 million into the project and plans to create 107 new jobs over the next five years.
The expansion will support increased customer demand and fulfill the requirements of a 10-year military contract. The project includes the addition of 18,750 square feet of new manufacturing space, along with advanced equipment to enhance the company’s production capabilities. Construction is already underway, with operations expected to begin in December 2025.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, Kirk Warden, President, LaCroix Precision Optics, said, “LaCroix Precision Optics is excited to expand our operations in Batesville, Arkansas to support a multi-year military contract that will help restore a critical supply chain to the United States. This expansion will allow us to enhance our capabilities with advanced equipment and additional manufacturing space. We are incredibly grateful for the hard work and dedication of our employees, whose efforts make this growth possible. We also want to thank our state and local officials for their unwavering support in making this expansion a reality. We’re proud to create over 100 new jobs for the Batesville community.”
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, added, “Family-run companies like LaCroix Precision Optics are the backbone of our state’s economy, and we have been proud that they’ve called Arkansas home for almost sixty years. Their expansion further proves why cutting taxes, investing in our workforce, and reforming education helps drive economic growth, making Arkansas a great place to live and raise a family.”
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About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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