Photonics West 2004 Review
By Patti Smith, President and
Marlene Moore, Vice President
Smith Miller Moore, Inc.
What a difference a year makes! In 2003, when I hobbled through the aisles of Photonics West with a slow-to-heal broken foot, it was sadly reminiscent of the crippled photonics market and the slow-to-heal economy. A year later I walked the show -- foot healed and a photonics market well on its way to health.
SPIE's Photonics West 2004 in San Jose, CA, last week (Jan. 27-29) was a huge success with a record draw of over 14,600 attendees and over 800 exhibitors, surpassing even the most liberal estimates. From the moment we entered the Main Exhibit Hall there was an unmistakable upbeat energy in the air. Marlene and I spoke to hundreds of exhibitors and attendees and all reflected an overall optimistic mood with the uptick in the economy, emerging technologies, and new products evident at the show. We asked several exhibitors what their barometer readings were for Photonics West and the photonics industry in 2004.
Spectra-Physics
In the midst of a busy booth, folks were interested in Spectra-Physics' new Eclipse -- a femtosecond amplifier system that includes a compact, rugged laser head and a rack-mounted electronics module. Director of Marketing David Miller felt the show had a really good mix this year of scientists and OEM customers. "It is clear," he noted, "the markets are picking up, with real interest in new product development, and customers are ready to start buying again."
Gamma Scientific
Tripling their exhibit space at Photonics West 2004 was a good decision for Gamma Scientific and a clear indicator of the company's increased sales growth this past year. Quinn Adler, Sales and Customer Service, remarked, "Yesterday's opportunities have been rekindled. Gamma Scientific is happy to come back to San Jose each year for Photonics West, to reaffirm our presence in the industry, and to present new light measurement solutions for the photonics market."
OptoSigma Corporation
Displaying a variety of precision optics, optical coatings, and manual and motorized positioners, OptoSigma Corp. had their best trade show response ever! Michelle Young, Marketing and Sales Manager, offered, "How do you measure a successful show? How about 200 qualified leads?" She continued, "Of all the shows we attend in a year, Photonics West is our most productive show and by far our strongest. The show's photonics focus is clear to both the exhibitors and the attendees." Their 10'x 20' booth generated a lot of activity and lots of qualified visitors asking core questions.
Indigo Systems
Indigo Systems announced their latest infrared camera offering at a well-attended press conference headed by Dr. Austin Richards, Research Scientist, Indigo Systems. The new Alpha NIR/VisGaAs camera, demonstrated at Indigo's booth, features a dual sensor that simultaneously images in the visible and the Near-IR spectral range and has applications in military, R&D, security, and industrial arenas. Aileen Wrench, Mar-Com Specialist at Indigo Systems, noted a clear upturn in the photonics market with the new and emerging technologies present at this year's show. Record attendance added to the bustle of activity at Indigo's booth, where researchers and end-users mingled with the infrared detector experts from Goleta, CA.
Click here for more information on Indigo Systems.
Physical Optics Corporation
Booth #216 was busy every time we passed by, demonstrating their latest technologies such as the new "OmniView" video monitoring system, which provides a real-time 360° panoramic view. Also drawing a crowd was the real-time 3-D video display that doesn't require goggles or special glasses to view 3-D images. Rick Shie, Senior VP at POC, offered his opinion that dramatic increases in advanced technologies are expected in the coming year, with more demand for integrated optical solutions in areas such as security and ID authentication.
Laser Components
Gary Hayes, CEO of Laser Components, Instrument Group, based in Wilmington, MA,
remarked, "This is our 5th year as an exhibitor at Photonics West. Clearly we're seeing a growing level of activity and interest is growing in our spectroscopic lasers, pulse lasers and optics." Quadrupling their space at PW2004 was another indicator of this company's positive expectation for the laser components industry.
Janos Technology, Inc.
Many companies drew a crowd of qualified visitors this year at Parkside Hall, across the street from the Convention Center. Janos Technology, an infrared component and optical solution company specializing in thermal imaging lenses and custom optical and mechanical designs, was one such company. "The forecast looks brighter," said Peter Kornick, Strategic Account Manager. "Companies that have had programs in the wings for the past two years are now getting funded and sales are looking up in multiple sectors."
ZC&R Coatings for Optics
Rob Cabrera of ZC&R Coatings notes that markets across the board are opening up. Of special interest, telecom orders are picking up the first time since late 2002. ZC&R introduced their new infrared (IR) optical coatings at Photonics West 2004. The high quality, precision coating operates in the 8.0 to 12.0 micron spectral region and can be tailored for a variety of substrate materials.
Click here for more information on ZC&R Coatings.
Optics 1, Inc.
William McGuigan, manning the booth, represented the Precision Optical Systems Group from Optics 1. "This year's show is a lot busier than the last two years for our company. We're seeing more demand for systems that require custom solutions. Since our company services a broad range of industries, we continue to grow as we increase our ability to handle high-volume and OEM orders."
Polytec PI
Eric Lawrence, the sales engineer from Polytec PI, a piezo and nanopositioning company for industry, OEM, and R&D, summed it up nicely, "It's a great show with a lot of activity and buzz that things are looking up, especially compared to last year."
UDT Sensors, Inc.
UDT Sensors, a subsidiary of OSI Systems, Inc., is a provider of opto-electronic devices and subsystems. In a high-traffic aisle and busy booth, John Hughes, Engineering Manager, said, "I see a definite positive trend with evidence of new companies and start-ups throughout the show this year."
Ferson Optics
Ferson Optics, an OSI Systems company, is a leading manufacturer of precision optical components and coatings. Ferson Optics' spokesperson Louis Peters commented on the rebounding economy evident this year at Photonics West. "Things postponed 2-3 years ago are starting to come back and the market is ready to grow these new products," he noted. "New company start-ups at PW 04 are definitely an indicator of much more optimism this year, compared to a year ago."
From our perspective, Photonics West was a smashing success with the photonics market emerging from a crippled economy with a healthy foot forward and a fresh attitude. From Smith Miller Moore to you, here's to a bright, new year for the Photonics Industry!
Smith Miller Moore, Inc. has specialized in advertising, marketing and public relations for the photonics industry and advanced technologies since 1978. For more information, please call us at 818-708-1704 or email: info@SMM-ads.com
© Smith Miller Moore, Inc. 2004