“The response from the industry is outstanding”

LASER World of PHOTONICS, the world’s leading photonics trade fair, is being held at the Munich exhibition grounds from June 27 to 30, 2023, together with the World of Photonics Congress, World of QUANTUM and automatica. Three questions for Exhibition Director Anke Odouli on the significance of the events, this year’s highlights, and why the co-location with automatica is providing cross-industry inspiration.

Ms Odouli, the international photonics industry will come together in Munich in just over two weeks. What’s the response from the industry?

The response from the industry is outstanding. More than 1,300 exhibitors have registered for LASER World of PHOTONICS and World of QUANTUM, with around two thirds of them from abroad. What’s more, after a four-year break, the World of Photonics Congress is finally being held on site again: In five conferences, the international science elite will provide in-depth insights into the world of photonics with more than 3,600 presentations and poster sessions. And there’s also something to celebrate: LASER World of PHOTONICS will be 50 years old! In 1973, Gerd vom Hoevel, the CEO of Messe München at that time, had the visionary idea to create the world’s first trade fair for the laser technology that had only just been invented. Back then, there was no telling how significant this technology would become half a century later in our everyday lives. We are proud to have accompanied this development for 50 years as the organizer of the world-leading trade fair.

What are this year’s highlights at LASER World of PHOTONICS and World of QUANTUM?

We are once again framing both trade fairs with an extensive program that reflects the wide range of applications for photonics. After all, there is hardly an industry that can now do without light as a tool in its innovations. The program includes presentations by key players from the industry, discussion rounds, and a direct exchange with experts, for instance, at the guided tours or the special “Photons in Production” show. A core topic running through the events as a recurring theme is the key role played by photonics in climate and environmental protection. A special highlight at World of QUANTUM is the Qiskit hackathon, in which the participating teams go head-to-head in a 24-hour programming competition. And let’s not forget the plenary talks at the World of Photonics Congress, in which scientific giants will speak about their latest findings—most notably Nobel Laureate Donna Strickland, as well as Prof. Constantin Häfner and Tammy Ma, who will talk about laser-driven nuclear fusion.

This year, for the first time, automatica, the leading trade fair for automation and robotics, will be held at the same time. What benefits do you expect to gain from that?

There are numerous overlaps between the automation and photonics industry. Lasers for welding, cutting, or marking, for example, are an established part of highly automated production lines. At the same time, many laser applications only really become strong from an economic viewpoint in combination with robots. And last but not least, quantum technology, which is the focus of World of QUANTUM, has major potential for industrial applications, since quantum computers can perform much faster and more complex computations. By co-locating these trade fairs, we are creating new impetus and added value for exhibitors and visitors: a broader offering, more attention for the individual events, and a platform for making new contacts, dipping into related topics, and exploiting the synergies for new and innovative solutions.

For a video statement from Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, CEO of Messe München, on the co-location of LASER World of PHOTONICS and automatica, please have a look here.