Can you see the nLight?

April 5, 2018
nLight hopes to list its stock on the Nasdaq market under the symbol LASR - good news for the laser industry.
Allen Nogee 720
Allen Nogee 720
Allen Nogee 720
Allen Nogee 720
Allen Nogee 720

On March 30th, nLight of Vancouver, WA filed documents as to its intentions of an initial public offering of its common stock. nLight hopes to list its stock on the Nasdaq market under the symbol LASR. It’s quite amazing that no other laser company has requested that symbol yet, but considering the limited number of laser companies that are public, this is quite understandable. If you were at January’s Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar held during SPIE Photonics West in San Francisco, you may have seen Scott Keeney, nLight’s CEO, President, and co-founder, give the keynote.

Related Coverage: The 30th Annual Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar—More good news ahead, in-depth coverage of the keynotes, interviews, and panels

Related Article: The power of brilliance -- the past and future of high-power semiconductor lasers, by CEO of nLight Scott Keeney and colleagues

I have followed nLight for many years now and watched their rapid growth. The company was founded in 2000 and currently has around 1000 employees. The company has championed the sale of small 15W to 250W fiber-coupled semiconductor lasers, but the company also produces a line of high-power fiber lasers ranging up to 8KW, and perhaps this is perhaps the most interesting part of the company.

In some way, because of its fiber laser portfolio, I have always considered nLight to be a competitor to IPG Photonics (NASD: IPGP), with nLight in 2017 having roughly 10% of the revenue than of IPG. Between 2016 and 2017, IPG’s revenue grew at a rate of 40%, whereby nLight’s revenue grew by 37%, but if you look at the period between 2011 and 2017, IPG’s revenue grew at a compound rate of about 20% per year, verses 12% for nLight. Still, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12% over these years is a fantastic growth for a laser company.

To read the full blog from Allen Nogee, click here.

About the Author

Allen Nogee | President, Laser Markets Research

Allen Nogee has over 30 years' experience in the electronics and technology industry including almost 20 years in technology market research. He has held design-engineering positions at MCI Communications, GTE, and General Electric, and senior research positions at In-Stat, NPD Group, and Strategies Unlimited.

Nogee has become a well-known and respected analyst in the area of lasers and laser applications, with his research and forecasts appearing in publications such as Laser Focus World, Industrial Laser Solutions, Optics.org, and Laser Institute of America. He has also been invited to speak at conferences such as the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO), Laser Focus World's Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar, the European Photonics Industry Consortium Executive Laser Meeting, and SPIE Photonics West.

Nogee has a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from the Rochester Institute of Technology, and a Master's of Business Administration from Arizona State University.

Sponsored Recommendations

How Precision Motion Systems are Shaping the Future of Semiconductor Manufacturing

March 28, 2024
This article highlights the pivotal role precision motion systems play in supporting the latest semiconductor manufacturing trends.

Understanding 3D Printing Tolerances: A Guide to Achieving Precision in Additive Manufacturing

March 28, 2024
In the world of additive manufacturing, precision is paramount. One crucial aspect of ensuring precision in 3D printing is understanding tolerances. In this article, we’ll explore...

Automation Technologies to Scale PIC Testing from Lab to Fab

March 28, 2024
This webinar will cover the basics of precision motion systems for PIC testing and discuss the ways motion solutions can be specifically designed to address the production-scale...

Case Study: Medical Tube Laser Processing

March 28, 2024
To enhance their cardiovascular stent’s precision, optimize throughput and elevate part quality, a renowned manufacturer of medical products embarked on a mission to fabricate...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Laser Focus World, create an account today!