FBGS

FBGS is a German and Belgian developer and manufacturer of high-strength Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) and custom fiber optic sensing solutions. The company originated in 2005 as FBGS Technologies GmbH, a spin-off from the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology in Jena, Germany, to industrialize the Draw Tower Grating (DTG®) technology. In 2011, FBGS International was established in Belgium, incorporating the expertise and assets of the former FOS&S (Fiber Optic Sensors & Sensing Systems), a spin-off of VUB university. This move combined German FBG manufacturing experience with Belgian interrogator and application know-how.

FBGS operates on a business-to-business (B2B) model, supplying its patented Draw Tower Gratings (DTG®) and FemtoSecond Gratings (FSG®) as OEM components to over 300 clients globally. The company's core business revolves around two unique, automated production processes. The DTG® process integrates the fiber drawing and grating writing into a single, uninterrupted procedure, which preserves the fiber's mechanical strength. In 2017, the company added FSG® technology, which uses an ultrafast laser to inscribe gratings through the fiber's coating, further expanding its manufacturing capabilities. These technologies produce high-quality, cost-effective sensing components for measuring parameters like strain, temperature, pressure, and shape. Revenue is generated through the sale of these components and complete sensing solutions, including interrogators and sensors. The company serves a wide range of industries, including medical, aerospace, transportation, energy, civil & geo, and R&D.

Supported by investors such as bm|t, X2 Equity, and Xenics, FBGS has secured multiple rounds of funding to expand production capacity and drive growth in strategic markets. A significant financing round in 2021, amounting to a high seven-digit sum, was aimed at accelerating this expansion in both Jena and Geel. The company's estimated annual revenue is approximately $4.1 million.

Keywords: Fiber Bragg Gratings, FBG, Draw Tower Gratings, DTG, FemtoSecond Gratings, FSG, fiber optic sensing, OEM components, strain sensing, temperature sensing, shape sensing, medical sensors, aerospace sensors, civil engineering, industrial monitoring, interrogators, high-strength fiber, optical sensors, photonic technology, custom sensing solutions