PI to invest $13 million for extension of piezo-ceramics factory

March 18, 2011

Motion-control specialist Physik Instrumente (PI) and piezo-ceramics specialist PI Ceramic are planning to invest approximately $13 million for the third extension of their piezo-ceramics factory and R&D center in Thuringia, Germany.

John Wallace

Lederhose, Germany--Motion-control specialist Physik Instrumente (PI) and piezoceramics specialist PI Ceramic are planning to invest approximately $13 million for the third extension of their piezoceramics factory and R&D center in Thuringia, Germany over the next three years. At the groundbreaking ceremony, Karl Spanner, CEO of Physik Instrumente, mentioned that even after adding 50 employees in 2010 at PI Ceramic, the company was getting close to its output capacity.

PI's products include piezoelectric components and subassemblies for sensors, transducers, linear motors, and precision actuators for application areas that include bio-optics, medical instrumentation, semiconductors, aerospace engineering, astronomy, high-energy physics, industrial automation, and telecommunications.

Because PI Ceramic owns enough land for an expansion, it was an easy decision to move forward with the additional building, according to PI. For 2011, the company is expected to hire another 20 to 30 people to keep up with the global demand for its piezoceramic components and subassemblies.

PI employs approximately 600 people worldwide.

For more info, visit http://www.piceramic.com.

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About the Author

John Wallace | Senior Technical Editor (1998-2022)

John Wallace was with Laser Focus World for nearly 25 years, retiring in late June 2022. He obtained a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and physics at Rutgers University and a master's in optical engineering at the University of Rochester. Before becoming an editor, John worked as an engineer at RCA, Exxon, Eastman Kodak, and GCA Corporation.