Growth Kick Off Event: Turning Collaboration into Customer Value

In January 2026, teams from across the IDEX Material Science Solutions a platform created by IDEX Corporation came together in Arnhem Papendal for the Growth Kick Off Event. The meeting marked an important step in strengthening collaboration across companies, aligning on focus markets, and identifying concrete ways to work smarter together.

The event was designed to bring engineering, technical, and operational leaders into one room to explore synergies, share capabilities, and define how closer collaboration can translate into greater value for customers. It set the foundation for a more connected way of working across materials, technologies, and applications, with a clear focus on delivering integrated solutions for demanding markets.

What Is IDEX Material Science Solutions?

IDEX Material Science Solutions brings together technical ceramics, glass, advanced metals, and optical technologies within a single, integrated platform. Instead of operating as separate specialists, the platform connects complementary materials, processes, and engineering expertise into an evolving and smart ecosystem designed to address complex, high precision challenges.

For engineers, this means access to multiple material technologies, precision manufacturing processes, and application driven expertise through one coordinated platform. This approach reduces technical risk, simplifies supplier interfaces, and supports faster and more efficient development cycles.

One Platform, Shared Purpose Built for Engineers

The purpose of this collaboration is clear, to bring together diverse capabilities under one roof, enabling teams to learn faster, work more efficiently, and build meaningful connections across technologies and engineering disciplines.

For external engineering teams, this collaboration delivers tangible benefits:

• Faster problem solving through early cross technology engagement
• Improved design outcomes through alignment of materials, processes, and tolerances
• Reduced downstream risk through integrated manufacturability considerations

By operating as one platform, IDEX Material Science Solutions can respond more quickly to evolving market requirements and deliver additional value to customers in Semiconductor, Global Forming, and Space and Defence.

Engineers benefit from solutions that are designed, optimized, and manufactured as complete systems rather than disconnected components. This leads to higher performance, improved reliability, and reduced overall complexity.

Focus Markets and Operational Alignment

During the Growth Kick Off Event, platform companies aligned around three core focus markets:

• Semiconductor
• Global Forming
• Space and Defence

These markets demand extreme precision, tight tolerances, and consistent performance in challenging environments. Alignment across these focus markets, combined with strong collaboration on operations, ensures that advanced engineering solutions are supported by scalable, repeatable, and reliable execution.

For customers, this means designs that are not only technically advanced but also manufacturable and capable of scaling from prototype development through full production.

A Cultural Shift in Collaboration

Collaboration within the IDEX Material Science Solutions platform goes beyond strategy. It represents a cultural shift in how teams work together across companies.

The platform promotes early technical collaboration, open exchange of expertise, and joint problem solving across materials and processes. This creates an environment where ideas and innovation move freely across teams, enabling the development of truly integrated solutions for Semiconductor, Global Forming, and Space and Defence applications.

The Growth Kick Off Event clearly demonstrated this collaborative mindset and left participants aligned, motivated, and ready to move forward together.

What Engineers Value from the Platform

From an engineering perspective, the value of the platform is practical and measurable:

• System level engineering rather than isolated component optimization
• Shorter development timelines through coordinated expertise
• Reduced technical risk through integrated materials and process selection
• Access to deep specialization across multiple advanced manufacturing technologies

Engineers gain a partner ecosystem that understands how materials, precision processes, and application requirements interact and how to translate that understanding into reliable, high performance solutions

A Connected Network of Specialized Companies

With the input received and the momentum established during the Growth Kick Off Event, the platform is already preparing for the next phase of collaboration. There is more to explore, more synergies to unlock, and more value to deliver together.

The strength of IDEX Material Science Solutions lies in the collective expertise of its member companies CVI Laser Optics, CVI Infrared Optics, Advanced Thin Films, Iridian, STC Material Solutions, Veco, Tecan, Microlam, M10, 603 optx, Optimus, LouwersHanique, and Millux. Together, they form a connected ecosystem that is uniquely positioned to deliver integrated, high precision solutions across the platform’s focus markets.