The Laser World of Photonics trade fair, due to take place in Munich, 22-25 June 2015, will focus on lasers and laser systems for production engineering as one of its three key areas, the show organiser Messe München has announced.
More than one and a half of the five exhibition halls will be devoted primarily to lasers and laser systems and more than a third of the total visitors and exhibitors expected to visit the show will be involved in lasers and laser systems. There will also be a focus on the automotive industry to show how the different segments of the photonics industry tie together.
Additive manufacturing is to be strongly represented, with awards for start-up companies, a special exhibition in collaboration with a number of Fraunhofer institutes and industry partners, and as part of the industrial lasers application panel. Ultrafast lasers for materials processing, and the manipulation of them, will be discussed during the World of Photonics Congress, which is held next to the exhibition halls, in a joint session run by CLEO and Lasers in Manufacturing.
During Laser world of Photonics 2013, 1,135 exhibitors and 26,582 visitors attended, of which around 60 per cent were from non-German companies. Within the focus group of lasers and laser systems for production engineering, 2013 saw more than 300 exhibitors and 12,000 visitors.
This year, the organisers are anticipating around 1,150 exhibitors to attend, at least 27,000 visitors and roughly the same percentage of international companies, as well as representatives from the lasers and laser systems for production engineering.
A special startup area for companies with innovative technology that are less than five years’ old will also be part of the event for the first time. The startup exhibition will be accompanied by a Photonics Masters award presented to young companies with new technology.
The show will support the International Year of Light initiative, and Flavia Schlegel, assistant director general for natural sciences at UNESCO, will speak at the welcoming address on 22 June. Four Nobel laureates will give keynote addresses during the congress, including two of the winners of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Professors Stefan Hell and Eric Betzig.
The format of the show is proving successful in China and India, with the 10th Laser World of Photonics China due to take place next week in Shanghai from 17-19 March, and the Indian equivalent organised for 9-11 September in New Delhi. The China event has 16 per cent more exhibitors than last year and expects 37,000 visitors.
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All eyes on Asia in build up to Laser World of Photonics China