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On 14 November 1996 the U.S. Carl Zeiss Optical company formally announced the avilability of a limited edition binocular specially produced to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Carl Zeiss company. The binocular chosen is possibly the most succesful, and popular of the Zeiss Dialyt series.

Only 1,000 "Zeiss 10 x 40 B ClassiC Gold" binoculars will be made. Finished in the finest grade of Nappa Leather, with the serialized current ZEISS logo in 18 carat gold, the eyepiece and objective rings in 18 carat gold plate, in a deluxe brown leather case with snap closure, and a personalized wood presentation box bearing the owners name.

This will be available for $3,395.00 while supply lasts. In a most unusual arrangement, Carl Zeiss Optical agrees to buy back the Limited Edition 10 x 40 B ClassiC Gold" at its original purchase price should you decide to sell it at any time!

In 1995 the NASA space probe "Galileo" reached Jupiter and then on July 13 it dispatched a probe into Jupiter's atmosphere. A "Helium Abundance Detector" interfereometer on the probe made by Zeiss at Oberkochen also contributed to the success of the effort during the 75 minute descent. This was the first instrument in space made by Zeiss, and so far is the farthest that Zeiss has traveled from Earth.

Currently there are seven Carl Zeiss optical components or systems developed, manufactured and qualified for space applications traveling in space. These include:

• "HIPPICAROS" (High Precision Parallax Collecting Satellite) astrometry satellite,
  
• the "ROSAT" X-ray satellite which features four mirrors, the largest of which is an 83cm Zerodur diameter primary mirror (in the "Guinness Book of World Records" as the worlds smoothest mirrors of their size with a micro roughness of below 0.2 nanometers - this corresponds to the diameter of one atom!),
  
• "ERS-2" for Earth surface and atmosphere studies,
  
• "GOME" for ozone measurement,
  
• "SOHO" (Solar Heliospheric Observatory) to explore the Sun, which carries the "LASCO" coronagraph and "CDS" spectrometer both with Zeiss optics.
  
• "ISO" infrared satellite carries the Zeiss "ISOPHOT" photopolarimeter.

The contract incorporating the new company was signed at the German Society of Electron Microscopy annual meeting in Leipzig by the CEOs of the parties, Dr. Peter Grassmann (Carl Zeiss) and Dr. Markus Rauh (Leica). A parallel announcement of the founding of the new company was made at the EMAG conference held at the University of Birmingham.

Leica and Carl Zeiss will each hold a 50% share in LEO, which will have operating subsidiaries in the UK, Germany, France and the USA. Worldwide representation will be provided through the existing Leica and Carl Zeiss sales channels and a network of independent dealers. Customer Response Centers in the four operating subsidiaries will provide international backup.

Dr. Peter Grassmann, CEO Carl Zeiss is nominated Chairman of the Board of the new company; Raghuvir Kalbag, a UK national, Chief Executive Officer. R. Kalbag comes to the company from the international headquarters of Leica in St. Gallen where he is a Member of the Corporate Management, and brings with him experience in the field of electron microscopy going back to 1976. They will be supported by a management team drawn primarily from Carl Zeiss and Leica.

The existing facilities in Cambridge and Oberkochen for R&D, production, marketing and service of electron microscopes will be carried over into the new company. This decision maintains the long history of expertise and knowledge in transmission and scanning electron microscopes in the two sites where these technologies were pioneered.

The Customer Response Center for Canada and the USA will be located in Thornwood, New York, and will house demonstration facilities, the service dispatch center, and offices for sales, service, marketing and administration personnel.

It is envisaged that LEO will employ about 350 people world-wide, including those in the distribution and service networks, with a turnover of over 50 million pounds sterling.

Peter Grassmann, Chairman designate of the LEO Board, stated in Leipzig at the signing of the contracts, "With the founding of LEO we are heralding a new era in the field of electron microscopy, drawing on the expertise of Carl Zeiss and Leica in this demanding high tech field. For customers dependent on such high resolution, state-of-the-art equipment, LEO provides a strong partner for comprehensive application solutions and technical service."

Raghuvir Kalbag, LEO's Chief Executive Officer designate, said, "Our combined extensive knowledge of relevant technologies and, specifically, our deep understanding of our customers' applications will give us unique strength. We will utilize this to meet the ever increasing need for innovation and develop a consistent and sustained program of new products which will further enhance our current offering."

In answer to a question, Markus Rauh, CEO Leica, stated in Leipzig, "Other than the founding of LEO, there are no further plans for cooperation between Leica and Carl Zeiss." Both companies enjoy top international positions in the development, manufacture and marketing of optical microscopes, surveying in instruments and photogrammetric equipment, and competition between them will continue in these fields.

This marks the first production of such accessories since when Zeiss dissolved their amateur telescope division in the Fall of 1995.