Telescope manufacturer closing Tucson plant

Coronado, 1674 and 1684 South Research Loop, employed 25 people when Meade purchased it in 2004, but in its press announcement, Meade said the consolidation of the plant would eliminate 16 employees by Aug. 31.

The move by Meade is one of several cost-cutting initiatives expected to result in decreased annual labor costs of $3 million, Meade's president and CEO Steve Muellner said in a press statement.

Coronado was started in 1997 by David Lunt, who ran the company out of his home in the Chiricahua Mountains but moved it to a plant near South Pantano Road and East 22nd Street in 2002.

Irvine-based Meade purchased Coronado Technology Group LLC in October 2004 for $2.5 million in cash plus incentives tied to the financial performance of the company through 2005. At the time of purchase, Meade said Coronado would remain based in Tucson.

"Meade said they wouldn't move it, but I guess things like that never turn out to be true in the long run," said Frank Lopez, owner of Stellar Vision & Astronomy Shop, 1835 S. Alvernon Way. "It was a neat manufacturer to have right here in Tucson, and it made it easy for me to go get my products."

Lopez said the quality of Coronado's products hadn't suffered since its purchase by Meade, and that its production of solar telescopes and filters had actually improved.

"They kept up the quality because they had the same people there, but production seem to get better because Meade had more money to do more things," he said.

Lunt, who died in January 2005, created a revolutionary line of filters for observing the sun that amateur astronomers could afford, said Thom Peck, a master optician at the University of Arizona's College of Optical Sciences and longtime amateur astronomer.

"I kind of feared they might eventually move the company after David died," said Peck, a former president of the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association. "It would be nice to keep Coronado in Tucson for the optical community, but I can understand why Meade would want to consolidate."

Lunt's technology has been warmly embraced by amateur astronomers worldwide, and Coronado's products have always sold well at Dean Koenig's Starizona Adventures in Astronomy & Nature, 5201 N. Oracle Road.

"I hate to lose it as a local manufacturer, but the company will still be going and you're still be able to get their products," Koenig said. "I think it's just a matter of economics for Meade. Their facility at Irvine is huge and they think they've got the people they need to keep Coronado going."

While Coronado wasn't a large company, it's loss will still be felt, said Laura Shaw, spokeswoman for Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities Inc., or TREO.

"We're always sorry to lose employers, and losing any manufacturer, large or small, makes an impact," Shaw said.