LaCroix Precision Optics expanding in Batesville, adding 107 jobs

LaCroix Precision Optics will expand its Batesville facility and add 107 jobs during the next five years, the company announced Thursday (June 5). The expansion will add 18,000-square-feet to the plant and will cost $13.8 million.

The company held a press conference on their campus and there were several speakers, including Gov. Sarah Sanders.

“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,” said LaCroix Precision Optics President Kirk Warden. “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,” he added.

LaCroix Precision Optics is expanding to meet increased customer demand for its products and to support a 10-year military contract.

“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 60 years,” Sanders said. “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.”

LaCroix Precision Optics manufactures high precision optics and produces a range of custom optics, including spherical lenses, achromats, aspheres, windows and wedges, and prisms and beam splitters. The company’s founder, Ray LaCroix Sr., started studying optics during the 1930’s, his son and current owner Ray LaCroix Jr. said.

After World War II, the father opened LaCroix Precision Optics, which was originally based in Chicago. At one point, he hired two brothers who were native Arkansans. When the brothers decided to return home, he asked them to do one thing – open an optics facility.

The Batesville facility was opened in 1966, and the company fully relocated to Batesville in 1976.

“LaCroix Precision Optics is expanding in Batesville, Arkansas – continuing a trend of growth in the Natural State for over several decades,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “Long-term economic success doesn’t happen by accident – it’s the result of great companies, vibrant communities, and a strong workforce. With LaCroix Precision Optics and Batesville, you have all three. Congratulations to the company and the city of Batesville on this significant expansion that will create over 100 new jobs in the region.”

This is the company’s fifth expansion since its founding. Most recently, LaCroix Precision Optics added new optical assembly capabilities in 2024 to provide a vertically integrated business model to better support customers.

Construction on the expansion has already begun with operations planned to start in December 2025.

“LaCroix Precision Optics’ continued investment in Batesville is a testament to the strength of our local workforce and the supportive business environment we’ve cultivated here. This expansion not only brings high-quality job opportunities to our community but also reinforces Batesville’s reputation as a hub for advanced manufacturing,” said Crystal Johnson, Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce CEO. “We are proud to support LaCroix Precision Optics as they grow and continue to make a global impact from Independence County, Arkansas.”