Photonics 2016 opens new horizons

Expocentre Fairgrounds opened its doors to the 11th edition of the Photonics. World of Lasers and Optics International Exhibition.  

Photonics is organized by Expocentre ZAO in association of the Laser Association, with support of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, the State Committee for Science and Technology of the Republic of Belarus, the European Optical Society, VDI Technologiezentrum, and under auspices of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This year the show has also gained support from EPIC – the European Photonics Industry Consortium.

Photonics. World of Lasers and Optics 2016 commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Aleksandr Prokhorov, who was an outstanding Soviet physicist, one of the pioneers in research in lasers, masers and quantum electronics, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1964.

This year the show welcomes 160 companies from 10 countries. Manufacturers from Germany and China exhibit at their respective national pavilions. More than 100 companies represent Russia, which is one of the world’s leaders in laser and optoelectronic technology.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, on behalf of the Government of the Russian Federation, sent a welcome address to Photonics’ organizers, visitors and exhibitors, in which he said, “Today photonics is one of the most promising high-tech industries. Laser and optical technology is widely used in machine building, health care, agriculture, telecommunications, transportation, and other important sectors of economy. Photonics 2016 will no doubt promote and encourage introduction of photonics, which has a great innovative potential, into many sectors of the Russian economy.”  

Vice President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Strashko talked about the show’s relevance and diversity of exhibits. He paid special attention to the fact that Photonics runs at Russia’s leading venue and enjoys a successful development.

President of the Laser Association Ivan Kovsh was glad to comment that, “despite all economic difficulties of today Photonics keeps growing. It applies not only to the number of visitors and size of the exhibition space but also commercial efficiency for its exhibitors.” He expressed gratitude to Expocentre’s team for running the show, which “started as a pilot project 11 years ago and has since grown into a major event, now the largest in Eastern Europe.”

The opening ceremony was also attended by Deputy Director of the Department of Industry of Conventional Arms, Ammunition and Special Chemicals of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade Dmitry Kapranov, Head of the Corporate Governance Department of Shvabe AO Sergey Popov, and President of the Hubei Province Laser Association (China) Zhu Xiao.

As usual Photonics offers many associated events. The first day included the Visiting Meeting of the Interagency Working Group on Photonics under the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, jointly with the Secretariat of Technology Platform “Photonics” and the Council of Laser Association.

The key associated event is the 5th Congress of the Russian Photonics Technology Platform. It includes various conferences, workshops, round tables, and presentations. The Laser Associaiton will announce the results of its competition for the best Russian photonics development.