Trumpf consolidates solid-state laser development at Schramberg-Sulgen

The two floors in the new €13.5 million Development Centre, which took 17 months to build, house both office space and laboratories dedicated to the development of solid-state lasers. Peter Leibinger, vice-chairman of the Trumpf Group management board, said at the opening ceremony: "Schramberg is not only the cradle of the German laser industry. Today it is one of the world's leaders in laser technology development and production." Professor Reinhart Poprawe, director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology in Aachen, emphasised another point in his dedication speech: "The laser is playing a decisive role in the design of tomorrow's production technologies. And to that end we need – in addition to a superior research setting at universities and other institutions – highly innovative companies like Trumpf." The newly completed Development Centre could be expanded at any time by topping it with a third story. "The application options for laser technology are by no mean exhausted," said Peter Leibinger in his speech. "And Schramberg will continue to play a superior part in ensuring that Germany continues to hold a top position, all around the world, in the field of industrial lasers." For the first time, all development sections will be consolidated at Schramberg under a single roof. In the past, these units were located in a number of different buildings around the site. Trumpf will be using the floor space freed up there to expand its production capacities for solid-state lasers.