April 28--Powerlase Ltd., a manufacturer of diode-pumped solid-state lasers, has announced it is expanding operations, including occupying an extra 12,800 sq feet of space in a new building to increase capacity threefold during 2006, to cope with escalating demand from customers.
The expansion follows the company's 233 percent growth year-on-year and the the company being listed as the fifth fastest growing venture capital-backed company in the UK.
Powerlase has seen a rapid growth in demand for its lasers as industries are recognizing their use in a wider range of applications. As a result, it has recently occupied an additional 12,800-sq-ft building, of which more than 50 percent will be dedicated to assembly, alignment, and testing. Part of the area will also be used for extended reliability testing of components and laser systems. The new space will also enable Powerlase to increase its manufacturing capacity by around 300 percent over 2006 with the capability of further expansion in 2007 and beyond.
Tony King, Powerlase executive director and COO, says, "We are showing tremendous growth through our ongoing commitment to product innovation and quality customer service. Our expansion reflects wider industry recognition of the use of lasers in manufacturing and is a direct response to our leading position as a primary supplier of high-power lasers in the field of ITO ablation in the flat panel display industry.
"We are continuing to invest heavily in research and development to make sure that the giant strides made to date continue into the future. Our expansion plans include the development of several dedicated applications and development labs which will be announced shortly."