Cornish acquisition boosts laser specialist

A Laser Optical Engineering product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Mar 18, 2003

Laser Optical Engineering has successfully integrated materials inspection expert Laser Testing Instruments into its business.

In an exciting new venture, established Loughborough University spinout company Laser Optical Engineering has successfully integrated materials inspection expert, Laser Testing Instruments into its business.

Laser Testing Instruments, currently based in Launceston, Cornwall, specialises in the provision and service of advanced laser shearography equipment for advanced material testing.

Together with Laser Optical Engineering's growing reputation in the commercialisation of high-technology laser research, the expansion looks set to provide the opportunity for outstanding commercial development.

Dr Rob Roach has recently been recruited in a sales engineering role within Laser Optical Engineering to further this development, increasing the number of the company's employees to double figures in six years.

Dr John Tyrer of Laser Optical Engineering announced the transaction this month, revealing expansion plans with the news that the company had been awarded further long-term service contracts, coinciding with a developing demand for the new laser shearography and strain imaging equipment on offer.

"Our rate of achievement and business expansion this year has been beyond expectations providing a very healthy base for the two companies", commented Dr Tyrer.

"The significant technical progress we have made particularly in the field of composite inspection (bonded structures) is reflected in the benefits to design engineers who require precise data for their products.

We are also very pleased that the Director of Laser Testing Instruments, Jeff Jamieson, will continue to be involved within this expanding group".

This rate of expansion follows Laser Optical Engineering's success in receiving a DTI SMART Award for unique laser interferometry instruments, and ISO9001 approval, both of which have enabled the company to move to 200m2 dedicated facilities within Loughborough Innovation Centre.

The move, planned for Easter 2003, will enable all of the company's diverse laser capacities to be brought together under one roof.