Rofin-Sinar Expands Product Range

Rofin-Sinar Technologies, Inc. announced the formation of a new UK-based company, Rofin-Sinar UK Ltd., to develop and manufacture a new range of low-power lasers, to complement its existing portfolio of products. As part of its investment in the UK company, Rofin-Sinar Technologies Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the business assets of Palomar Technologies Ltd., Kingston upon Hull, UK, a wholly owned subsidiary of Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The new range of products is based on sealed gas laser expertise and proprietary diffusion cooled Slab-laser technology to produce CO2-lasers in the range 25 to 600 Watts. As the current Rofin-Sinar Slab-technology starts at 1000 Watts output power, these new lasers will complete the product offering and allow the company access to new market opportunities in lower power laser processing. The new UK company is formed by transfer of experienced personnel from Palomar Technologies Ltd. to the new entity.

According to the January 1998 Laser Report, the market for sealed low-power CO2 lasers for material processing was approximately 60 million US dollars in 1997 and is expected to increase 20 percent in 1998. Low power CO2-lasers are typically used for cutting (paper, glass, plastics) and marking, but the increasing demand for rapid prototyping is expected to open up new market opportunities in the future. The UK-based new venture positions Rofin-Sinar to leverage its extensive materials processing experience to grow its profile in the low-power CO2 laser market.

Headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan, and Hamburg, Germany, Rofin-Sinar Technologies, Inc. designs, develops, engineers and manufactures industrial laser products for cutting, welding and marking a wide range of materials

Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. is a supplier of proprietary laser systems for dermatological and cosmetic laser treatments.