Bozeman based Lattice Materials will begin construction this spring on a new 80,000 square foot manufacturing facility near the Bozeman Airport, a project that will create 50 new high wage jobs and reinforce Montana’s growing role in advanced manufacturing.

Backed in part by an $18.5 million dollar federal defense grant, the expansion allows the company to significantly increase production of infrared optics used in major United States defense systems. For Montana residents, the project matters because it anchors high value manufacturing in the Gallatin Valley, expands the local tax base, and diversifies an economy that has recently seen most job growth concentrated in lower paying service and retail sectors.

The decision to expand locally rather than relocate signals long term confidence in Bozeman’s workforce and infrastructure.

The expansion also highlights broader trends shaping Montana’s tech and education ecosystem. Lattice Materials grows and machines silicon and germanium crystals in house, placing it at the center of the photonics and quantum technology cluster that now employs more than 1,000 people in the Bozeman area.

Demand for germanium based optics is rising sharply, especially after global supply disruptions linked to foreign export restrictions, driving renewed investment in domestic supply chains. Montana State University plays a key role by supplying skilled graduates and research partnerships that support this sector. As the new facility comes online by 2027, it is expected to help set a new pace for high wage job creation in Montana, strengthen national security manufacturing capacity, and position Bozeman as a long term hub for advanced optics and materials science.

Bozeman manufacturing company to build new facility, create 50 jobs