LASER 2007. World of Photonics claims more exhibitors and visitors than ever

LASER 2007. World of Photonics closed its doors last month having achieved its best result since it began in 1973. For its four days, the show became the global centre for optical technologies with 1008 exhibitors (2005: 948; increase of 6.3%) and more than 25,000 visitors (2005: 23,310; increase of more than 10%).

Dr. Matthias Schulze, Director of Technical Marketing at Coherent commented: “LASER was the ideal trade fair for us. The global field of customers has again proved to be the key to success.” Jens Bleher, Managing Director of TRUMPF Laser Technology Business Division at TRUMPF GmbH + Co. KG also agreed: “LASER 2007. World of Photonics is demonstrating a very good development. The number of trade fair contacts has increased considerably compared to the last event. We are very satisfied with the quality of visitor contacts.”

Klaus Dittrich, Managing Director of Messe München GmbH, agreed: “LASER 2007. World of Photonics ran excellently. With this outstanding result, the trade fair demonstrated once again that it is the leading global event for optical technologies. Increased attention to applications has paid off, and exhibitors and visitors were extremely satisfied with this. The scope of applications, which were shown here, and the pioneering character of the trade fair oriented to the future are unique in the world.”

The future economic development of the industry was assessed very positively by both exhibitors and visitors. In the exhibitor and visitor survey conducted by the market research company tns infratest, 94% of the visitors and 92% of the exhibitors evaluated the future economic situation of the industry as excellent to good.

The trade fair is also the meeting place of the top managers in the industry with a share of 90% of decision-makers among visitors, including 30% with final decision-making powers. The highlight was the CEO Round Table discussion on the topic “Driving forces for innovations in the photonics industry”. An audience of approximately 200 attended the panel discussion with Dr. John R. Ambroseo, President and CEO of Coherent, Benoit Bazire, CEO of Qioptiq, Peter Leibinger, Chairperson of the Business Division Laser Technology/Electronics and Deputy Chairperson of the Management of the Trumpf Group, Germany, Dr. Rüdiger Müller, President and CEO of Osram Opto Semiconductors and Dr. Per Stenius of Liekki, Finland.

The continually increasing scope of applications in optical technologies and their increased consideration in the trade fair offers was something of a theme throughout the complete event and was received very positively by exhibitors.

For example, Osram Opto Semiconductors was very pleased with this trade fair development. Dr. Jörg Heerlein, Senior Manager for high-performance laser diodes, emphasized: “Osram has been pursuing a strategy of showing product applications for years. Consequently, we welcome the orientation of LASER. World of Photonics to applications.”

The variety of applications is an essential success criterion for Bernd Fischer, Head of Corporate Communications at Kuka Roboter, which took part in the trade fair for the first time: “We put a very high value on the fact that we meet visitors from other industrial application fields here.”

And Thomas Deiwiks, Sales Manager at LIMO Lissotschenko Mikrooptik, talked about his experience at the fair: “The trade visitors can identify better with the application orientation of the trade fair. We redesigned our booth correspondingly and paid more attention to solutions.”

Günther Braun, CEO and President at Rofin Sinar Technologies Inc., also agreed: “We are extremely satisfied with the course of the event till now. The somewhat changed trade fair concept in the direction of user orientation seems to pay off.”

This also applies for Musa Saydi from the Turkish Company Ermaksan Machinery, which took part in the trade fair for the first time: “With its application orientation and its very distinctive international profile, LASER. World of Photonics definitely meets our strategy as a world-wide operating company.”

World of Photonics Congress expands position further as Europe’s leading congress

The World of Photonics Congress also recorded substantial growth figures. Leading scientists from throughout the world, including the Noble Prizewinner for Physics 2005, Prof. Dr. Theodor W. Hänsch, presented their research results in six individual conferences, which took place under the auspices of the World of Photonics Congress. They showed the future scenarios of optical technologies in more than 2,300 speeches and presentations (2005, 1,800). Applications also played a larger role there than in previous years. The congress was organized in collaboration with Messe München International and leading, international science societies.

Many exhibitors profit from the Congress, for example Toptica Photonics. Dr. Thomas Renner, Head of Sales & Marketing explained: “The congress is very important to us. A total of 50% of inquiries at our booth came from the scientific field.”

Graduated Engineer Dr. Gerhard Holst, Science & Research at PCO AG, holds the synergies between the trade fair and the congress in very high regard: “The conferences not only ensure fast knowledge transfer between the disciplines, but they also attract a highly skilled public to the trade fair.”

Among the exhibitors who come from outside of Germany, the People’s Republic of China has taken third place in the meantime with 55 exhibitors behind the USA and Great Britain. Laser technologies are also experiencing substantial growth in the domestic Chinese market. Consequently, the number of exhibitors present at LASER China. World of Photonics is increasing every year. Germany’s leading position on the global market of optical technologies will be presented at the special event “German World of Lasers & Photonics” at LASER. World of Photonics China in Shanghai, China from 18 to 20 March 2008 . In addition, the international market leaders will participate in the event.

The next LASER. World of Photonics will take place on the grounds of the New Munich Trade Fair Centre from 15 to 18 June 2009.