Author Archives: John Lincoln

UK Photonics companies are larger than average

Or more correctly there are relatively more larger companies in photonics than standard in manufacturing. On going analysis of the UK photonics industry shows that the fraction of UK photonics operations which are small, medium or large by employment is significantly higher than in UK engineering or manufacturing sectors*. Only 50% of photonics operations employ…

Showcasing Physical Sciences Impact

EPSRC is hosting an event on 6 December 2019, sponsored by the Institute of Physics and the Royal Society of Chemistry, to celebrate the significant and wide-ranging impacts that arise from the breadth of physical sciences research: from the fundamental to the applied. Expressions of interest by 20 September are invited from those who would…

Commercialising quantum technologies

£33 million from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund is available to invest in projects that aim to speed up commercialisation of quantum technologies. Projects must aim to speed up commercialisation of second-generation quantum technologies (superposition, entanglement and related effects*) and should address at least 1 of the following areas: connectivity and techniques for securing data…

Electech Sector a roadmap for the UK

Electech sector: a roadmap for the UK

Detailing the technologies encompassed in Electech from electronics to photonics the Electech sector: a roadmap for the UK report reviews the technology of Electech and lays out a roadmap for the sector including: trends and drivers, application areas, system level capabilities, technologies and enablers. The report published by Innovate UK, with contributions from all Electech…

UK Photonics output increases to £13.5 billion –

UK photonics output reaches £13.5 billion according to the latest update from the PLG. The industry now contributes £5.3 billion of gross added value to the UK economy annually and employs 69,000 people in the UK at a productivity of £76,400 per employee, significantly above the UK average of £67,000 per manufacturing employee

UK Photonics Industry - key statistics
UK Photonics Industry – key statistics

The UK photonics industry is now equivalent in size to the UK pharmaceutical, fintech or space industries in the UK.  The continued growth of UK photonics reflects the critical role that light plays in current and next-generation products and manufacturing.