LASER World of PHOTONICS 2011 closes strong with "buoyant mood"

Munich, Germany--What began as a "good mood" early in the week for LASER World of PHOTONICS 2011 was elevated to a "buoyant mood" by the close of the conference. The 20th event ended with a substantial increase (8%) of 27,500 visitors and a new record rise to more 1,100 exhibitors and represented companies. Günther Braun, CEO & president, Rofin-Sinar Technologies (Hamburg, Germany and Plymouth, MI), announced, "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."

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 photonics industry's future.

Conference organizers say that the manufacturing industry is brimming with confidence as it looks to the future and the stage is set for growth. Exhibitors, visitors, and organizers were full of praise for the biggest and best LASER World of PHOTONICS to date--with visitors from 80 countries.

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% of foreign exhibitors and 53% 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%) rated the LASER World of PHOTONICS 2011 as being "excellent to good"; 97% intend to visit the trade fair again; and 97% consider LASER World of PHOTONICS to be the industry’s flagship trade fair.

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 symbolizes 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.

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

SOURCE: LASER World of PHOTONICS; www.world-of-photonics.net/link/en/24963674#24963674