Kopp Glass Announces EAR99 Classification for NVIS Compatible Filter Blanks

Pittsburgh, PA, Sept. 28, 2011. Kopp Glass Announces EAR99 Classification for NVIS Compatible Filter Blanks

Kopp Glass, Inc., (http://www.koppglass.com), the world’s leading manufacturer of precision molded, technical glass products announced today that their standard Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS) filter blanks are no longer subject to the licensing jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of State.

They are now controlled by the Department of Commerce (DOC) by the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The U.S. Department of State determined that the filter blanks should be classified by the DOC as EAR99. The formulations that are available were designed for use in the aerospace market to be compatible with Night Vision Imaging Systems. This classification is applicable to Kopp’s secure blue-green, NVIS Green B, NVG White, NVIS Green A, NVIS Green A (Intruder) and NVIS Yellow B compositions.

The EAR99 classification is applicable unless the molded filter blanks are specifically designed, developed, configured, adapted or modified for military application or defense article use. Previously Kopp applied for International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) licenses for the filter blanks on a case by case basis. It was a cumbersome process that involved a filing fee and processing lead times of 2 -4 weeks. These factors directly impacted the lead times and competitive pricing that Kopp was able to quote to their customers. “Adherence to U.S. export laws is critical to our reputation as an international glass supplier.

The ability to classify our molded filter blanks benefits both Kopp and our customers. It accelerates the sales cycle and enables Kopp to ship orders faster. The elimination of the filing fee will also make our customer’s products more competitive.” – Colleen Reichert, Kopp’s Customer Service & Support Manager Kopp Glass, Inc. is an ISO 9001 Certified company. Located in Pittsburgh, PA since 1926, it is the industry leader in the manufacture of clear and colored precision molded and blown technical glass for industrial and commercial applications. Kopp’s markets include airport lighting, aircraft lighting, medical device illumination, military (night vision & covert), power generation, railroad & traffic signal lighting, architectural lighting, theatrical lighting, light filters of all types including infrared and ultraviolet filters, and other industrial technical glass applications.