1952
After more than a century of fine optics production in Wetzlar Germany, Ernst Leitz Canada establishes in Midland to manufacture Leica cameras and lenses.
A brick from the oldest part of the facility in Wetzlar Germany still forms part of the wall just inside the Ellen Street doors of the Midland facility. Larger image >>
1954
Ernst Leitz Canada plant expanded to produce wider range of commercial and defense optics. This unit eventually becomes the core of Raytheon ELCAN's Midland plant.
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1959
The ELCAN brand name (standing for Ernst Leitz CANada) introduced by Walter Kluck (one of the original pioneers) for commercial markets, Canadian military and US Navy aerial reconnaissance applications.
1960
The Raytheon ELCAN - Picker lens solution was a projection lens with maximum transmission capabilities, an "F:1" lens. The extremely bright F:1 lens optimized the aperture (without compromise to image quality) , therefore maximizing the amount of light captured. The result was a clear, sharp x-ray image revolutionizing the medical imaging market.
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1960
Ernst Leitz Canada designs innovative lens for Leica that creates new standards for 35 mm quality.
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1970
Ernst Leitz Canada awarded design and manufacturing contract for new 70 mm IMAX projection system.
1983
Ernst Leitz Canada begins work with Panavision for state-of-the-art cinematographic lens
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1990
Hughes Aircraft Co. purchases Ernst Leitz Canada. The company expands its operations as Hughes Leitz Optical Technologies. Larger image >>
1997 to 1999
Raytheon acquires the optical business units of Texas Instruments and Hughes Aircraft Co. and form ELCAN Optical Technologies.
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2000 to 20002
Raytheon ELCAN Optical Technologies undertakes an aggressive marketing and technology development program, focusing its combined experience to serve Telecommunications, Defense, Commercial and Industrial markets.
2004
With 18 years of experience producing rugged, reliable rifle sights for defense contracts, Raytheon ELCAN launches the SPECTER™ line of precision day/night sights for military customers.
2007
Raytheon ELCAN turns its resources and vision to innovative new approaches in medical imaging and treatment. The emerging Life Sciences customers that will partner with Raytheon ELCAN include applications in indirect digital radiography, optical coherence tomography and pathological spectral analysis.
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2009
Raytheon ELCAN introduces the SpecterOS4x LDS. Raytheon ELCAN is selected by Thales UK’s FIST PMCO as sole-source supplier of the Light Weight Day Sight for the UK MoD FIST Soldier Systems.
2010
ELCAN Optical Technologies becomes Raytheon ELCAN Optical Technologies.