2017 was a record breaking year for the global laser industry, growing by 26% to $4.3billion according to latest analysis by David Belforte at Industrial Laser solutions. Fibre lasers (up 34%) and diode lasers (up 56%) were reported to be the hottest growth areas. The increasing importance of high power fibre lasers in modern manufacturing…
The latest Emerging and Enabling Innovate competition is now open. Projects are invited from £35,000 to £2 million, lasting 3 months to 3 years. Total budget £19m shared with health and life-sciences. Projects should be in one of 4 priority areas: Emerging technologies, which have either recently developed or are starting to come out of…
New measures to be introduced in the UK include increased customs checks to ensure imported laser pointers meet laser emission safety standards- currently many of the lowest cost laser pointers available in online market places emit far more laser power than is necessary, or safe, for presentation applications and/or are incorrectly labelled as lower emitting…
The Grand Challenges for UK photonics to be addressed in 2018 are highlighted by PLG Chief Executive, John Lincoln in the 50th anniversary edition of Electro-Optics discussing current and future industry trends. It has been 350 years since Sir Issac Newton developed the reflecting telescope in the UK and our capacity for applying photonics innovation…
The KTN and PLG has worked with Department for International Trade to support UK companies going to Photonics West in 2018. The KTN have created a matchmaking tool specifically for the event which will allow UK companies to contact participating US companies, book meetings, make your outreach smoother and connect you with more buyers. It’s…
Finding the best new graduates that fit with your business is increasingly difficult. One of the best solutions is to take final year students on for short-term graduate placements.
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The next Photonics Leadership Group meeting will be on 20th Feb 2018 in central London. If you would like to attend and have not been to previous meetings please contact us. Previous contributors/ stakeholders will receive an email with details. The agenda will cover addressing the photonics grand challenges, sector deal developments and ISCF updates…
Innovate have opened two new competitions in Future Manufacturing and Materials and Infrastructure. Previous Manufacturing and Materials competitions have attracted a high proportion of top quality proposals utilising and developing photonics. “Projects should target opportunities for significant changes in productivity and …. increase material efficiency“. This competition scope focuses on:- developing more flexible and efficient…
The UK photonics industry is distributed across the UK with key centres of activity in Northern Ireland, Scotland, the South West, South East, Midlands, Wales, North East and North West. With global exporters often tucked away in small industry estates thought out the country, many people are unaware of the significant role UK photonics firms…
Ideas Innovation People Skills Infrastructure i.e. full fibre networks Business Environment Starting & growing enterprise Places Prosperity across UK The industrial strategy: building a Britain for the future outlines 5 foundations for UK growth down from the 10 pillars in the original green paper. The strategy further outlines the overall grand challenges / global trends…
