A powerful green-emitting solid-state laser was the light source for a display that marked the official opening of the Co-operative Bank’s new phone banking center in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. The center is housed in a 120-ft-high blue-glass pyramid.
The laser display system, which was on the pyramid until early January 1997, was supplied by the Definitive Laser Co. (Hatfield, England) and is based on the 40-W green output of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser. Supplied to the systems company by a US manufacturer, the laser is claimed to be the most powerful display laser currently in the UK. The display is visible for up to 12 miles.
Installation of this system required safety clearances from many local regulatory bodies. “Because of the proximity of the motorway and the airport we had to clear this with the police, the motorway police, the highways agencies and the Civil Aviation Authority,” said Definitive’s Julie Davies.
Co-operative Bank managing director Terry Thomas said, “The pyramid is a very special building so we wanted to do something different to mark the official opening. We hope the laser, which is an unusual Christmas illumination, will be seen as our gift to the people of Stockport for their support in helping us set up our second call center.”