Defence demand drives revenues at Somerset’s Gooch & Housego

The group says it has navigated supply challenges in the first half and is on track to meet its full-year expectations

A Somerset components manufacturer has reported a rise in revenues for the first half of the year on the back of growing demand in the aerospace and defence market.

Revenue at Ilminster-based Gooch & Housego (G&H), which makes detectors, lasers and fibre optic equipment, stood at £81.9m for the six months to the end of March – up 9.1 per cent on an organic, constant currency basis.

The London-listed firm said revenue from the industrial laser and semiconductor markets had improved over the period and there were “encouraging signs” of recovery in the semiconductor industry.

The company’s order book was also up, increasing £25m to £167.3m from September.

Charlie Peppiatt, chief executive of G&H, said: “I am pleased with the positive progress that G&H has made in the first half of the financial year.

“The strong order book growth in the period demonstrates the increased confidence our customers have in G&H to provide them with their most complex photonics and optical systems requirements.”

G&H told investors that its acquisition last year of two businesses – Global Photonics and Phoenix Optical – had been “critical” in helping secure new orders from defence customers in the US, UK and Europe.

The group said it had also “proactively managed” the re-sourcing of key raw materials used across several of its production processes where availability had been restricted by retaliatory measures from certain nations in response to US tariffs.

“Despite the situation remaining fluid, with supply lumpy and intermittent, the group has navigated these challenges in H1 2026 and remains vigilant around supply chain, operations and inventory planning going forwards,” the company said in a statement on Thursday, April 9.

“Whilst there are significant macroeconomic uncertainties, the recovery in our industrial and semiconductor markets along with the strong growth in demand from our aerospace and defence markets should allow the group to make further positive progress on our journey to mid-teens returns over the medium term,” added Mr Peppiatt.

Trading for the full year is currently set to be in line with expectations. The group will announce its interim results for the six months ended March 31, 2026, on June 2.

The news comes as former Meggitt divisional CFO James Corte starts his role as G&H’s new chief financial officer and executive director.