Laser Zentrum Hannover (LZH) has celebrated its 30th anniversary in an event held on 3 June with guests from politics, industry and science.
The speaker of the LZH board of directors, Professor Wolfgang Ertmer, emphasised the close cooperation with the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover (LUH), the Hannover Medical School (MHH) and the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo) as a factor of the institute’s success.
‘Last week was the official opening of the Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE). There too the MHH, TiHo, LUH and LZH are focusing their competencies and networks,' explained Ertmer. ‘The national and international networks of the LZH and the proven expertise are ideal conditions for future cooperations, for example in the next phase of the excellence initiative.’
Olaf Lies, minister of Economics, Labour and Transport of the state of Lower Saxony, underlined that the scientific-technical results and the know-how of the LZH are especially beneficial to the automotive industry.
‘This sector is most important in Lower Saxony and nationwide,’ said Lies. ‘In our state, approximately 25 per cent of the jobs depend on it. To remain successful in the global competition, we need innovations and the LZH as a highly competent and formative partner in industrial research.’
Dr-Ing Clemens Meyer-Kobbe, owner and CEO of MeKo Laserstrahlmaterialbearbeitungen showed the journey of his company from an LZH spin-off company to an international laser job shop. Meyer-Kobbe worked for the Manufacturing Technology Department of the LZH from 1987 till 1991 - when he established MeKo in Sarstedt. ‘Today, we have 200 employees and are an internationally operating company,’ reported Meyer-Kobbe. ‘We owe our success, among other things, to the optimum starting conditions provided by the LZH.’
After the programme, about 100 attendees gained insight to the current research and development highlights at the scientific-technical stations. At the end of the celebration the institute offered a forum for exchange between very different disciplines and sectors.