Laser World of Photonics 2011 - More exhibitors and more visitors

Fuelled by the positive meetings and well attended trade fair halls the mood among exhibitors and visitors was excellent. Günther Braun, CEO & President, Rofin-Sinar Technologies Inc. pronounced a positive verdict: “The LASER World of PHOTONICS has again bolstered its position as the leading international trade fair in the photonics sector. This year it very clearly mirrors the market’s upbeat mood. It was very obvious to us that there were more international visitors here, especially from Asia, compared with the event in 2009. We experienced high visitor traffic from the very first day. All of us met our target groups, the electronics, photovoltaic and automotive sectors in particular were in stronger demand this time.”

The LASER World of PHOTONICS is the laser and photonics industry’s most international event. This statement is underpinned by the high proportion of 58 percent of foreign exhibitors and 53 percent of visitors. The leadership status is also reflected among the international guests: The top five visitor countries apart from Germany were France, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Switzerland, Japan and the USA.

Market research Institute TNS infratest conducted a representative poll: It found that almost all visitors to the trade fair (98 percent) rated the LASER World of PHOTONICS 2011 as being excellent to good, 97 percent intend to visit the trade fair again. A top class mark: 99 percent of visitors were satisfied with the completeness and breadth of the offering, 98 percent with the presence of the market leaders. 96 percent praised the exhibitors’ international makeup. 97 percent consider LASER World of PHOTONICS to be the industry’s flagship trade fair. Many visitors felt the tie-up between industry and research by combining the trade fair and Congress programmes to be extremely useful: 95 percent praised the quality of the content at the photonics forums.

Most exhibitors (94 percent) also awarded the trade fair an overall rating of “excellent to good”. 98 percent want to exhibit at the trade fair again. 94 percent of exhibitors were very satisfied with the quality of the visitors, 89 percent considered that LASER World of PHOTONICS had established itself as the leading trade fair, 87 percent praised the visitors’ international complexion.
69 percent of exhibitors deemed the Congress participants to be an important target group on their stands.

In the industrial production and research world, optical technologies are considered to be emerging technologies. With its focus on “Lasers and Laser Systems for Production Engineering”, “Green photonics” and “Biophotonics and Life Sciences, the event was deliberately putting its chips on the topics that will dominate the industry's future. The outstanding visitor numbers and the satisfaction of the exhibitors prompted Norbert Bargmann, Deputy Chairman of the Messe München GmbH Board of Management, to draw a positive conclusion: “Munich has further enhanced its status as the venue of the world's leading trade fair. The Munich trade fair has demonstrated once again that it ranks alongside the LASER World of PHOTONICS CHINA as the industry's leading champion. I particularly welcome the fact that the Federal Government chose this venue to unveil its future support for the photonics industry. This is very important especially for the numerous small and medium-sized enterprises.”

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) unveiled its promotional package “Photonics Research Germany” on the trade fair’s opening day. Optical technologies are held to be one of the most important key technologies of the future. The announcement by Dr. Georg Schütte, Secretary of State at the BMBF, of a total of one billion euros over the next ten years to promote research and development in the photonics sector was warmly received by the public. The event was accompanied by real “music to the ears”: Musician Martha Cohen played a violin produced by a 3-D laser printer using the laser sintern technique. The laser violin symbolises the harnessing of new application areas and growth markets by photonics.

3,250 international participants attended the total of six conferences taking place during the World of Photonics Congress. Predominant impression: A lively exchange of ideas between scientists, students and users from the most diverse countries. The participants praised the technical level and scope of the offerings. Prof. Dr. Peter Loosen, President of the Steering Committee of the World of Photonics Congress and Deputy Head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT said: “The combination of trade fair and congress here in Munich is unique in the world. The congress comprises the six conferences as well as the practical lectures in the photonics forums in the trade fair halls. These forums are outstanding and made a significant contribution to opening the congress up to industry. The congress is one of the greatest photonics events in the world of its type, the atmosphere here was very good.”

Highlights

• Visitor numbers increased more than 8 percent up to 27,500
• Considerable increase in international profile: Visitors from 80 countries
• Growth areas: Medical technology, biophotonics, renewable energies and electro-mobility
• Federal government announces 1 billion euro boost for photonics


The next LASER World of PHOTONICS will be held from 17 to 20 June 2013.