IPG Photonics

{{Infobox company

| name = IPG Photonics Corporation

| logo = IPG Photonics logo.svg

| image = 3930 Freedom Circle.jpg

| image_caption = Satellite office in Santa Clara, California

| type = Public

| traded_as = {{ubl|{{NASDAQ|IPGP}}|S&P 400 component}}

| area_served = Worldwide

| key_people = Mark M. Gitin Ph.D. (CEO)

| industry = Photonics

| products = Lasers, amplifiers and laser systems for materials processing, communications, entertainment, medical, biotechnology, scientific and advance applications.

| revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|1.28 billion|link=yes}} (2023)

| operating_income = {{increase}} {{US$|368 million}} (2021)

| net_income = {{increase}} {{US$|288 million}} (2021)

| assets = {{increase}} {{US$|3.17 billion}} (2021)

| equity = {{increase}} {{US$|2.75 billion}} (2021)

| num_employees = 6,580 (December 2021)

| founded = {{Start date and age|1990}}

| hq_location = Marlborough, Massachusetts, U.S.

| website = {{URL|https://ipgphotonics.com/}}

| footnotes = {{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1111928/000111192822000025/ipgp-20211231.htm |title=IPG Photonics Corp. 2021 Annual Report (Form 10-K) |date=22 February 2022 |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission}}

}}

IPG Photonics Corporation is a manufacturer of fiber lasers.{{cite web |url=http://www.articlearchives.com/company-activities-management/financial-performance/1615746-1.html |work=Telegram & Gazette |location=Worcester, MA |title=Tenacity brought success to IPG Photonics |date= 23 February 2007 |first=Andi |last=Esposito |access-date=14 Mar 2009}} IPG Photonics developed and commercialized optical fiber lasers,Gavin, R. (1 May 2006). "IPG shines as it builds a better laser." The Boston Globe which are used in a variety of applications including materials processing, medical applications and telecommunications. IPG has manufacturing facilities in the United States, Germany, Russia and Italy.{{cite web |title=Our Offices & Application Centers |url=https://www.ipgphotonics.com/company/locations |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240529070634/https://www.ipgphotonics.com/company/locations |archive-date=May 29, 2024 |access-date=July 29, 2024 |website=IPG Photonics |publisher=}}

IPG was founded in 1990 by Valentin P. Gapontsev, IPG's Executive Chairman and former chief executive officer, and Igor Samartsev, IPG's Chief Technology Officer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=909948&privcapId=427949|title=Ipg Photonics Corp (IPGP:NASDAQ)|website=www.bloomberg.com|access-date=2018-10-30}}

IPG also develops and manufactures fiber amplifiers, diode lasers and several complementary products used with its lasers, such as optical delivery cables, fiber couplers, and beam switches. Its products are sold globally and primarily used for materials processing, advanced technologies, telecommunications, and medical applications.{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/companies/ipg-photonics/#2ba5ab1b33b7|title=IPG Photonics on the Forbes Top 100 Digital Companies List|work=Forbes|access-date=2018-10-30|language=en}}

The company is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts,{{Cite web |title=IPG - Contact Us |url=https://www.ipgphotonics.com/en/contact |access-date=2023-10-06 |website=www.ipgphotonics.com/ |language=en}} with more than 25 facilities around the world.{{Cite news|url=https://www.apnews.com/ae38a37c27042a6a34e097f700c068eb|title=IPG Photonics to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conferences|date=2018-10-24|work=AP NEWS|access-date=2018-10-30}}

History

IPG was founded in 1990 in Russia by physicist Valentin Gapontsev.{{cite web|title=Valentin Gapontsev Receives {{sic|nolink=y|Entrepeneur|expected=Entrepreneur}} Award|url=http://www.photonics.com/Article.aspx?AID=26119|publisher=Photonics.com|access-date=6 July 2012}}{{cite web|title=Laser Luminaries|url=http://spie.org/Documents/AboutSPIE/PDF/Laser-luminaries-poster.pdf|publisher=SPIE|access-date=6 July 2012}}{{cite web|title=Engineering Excellence Awards|url=http://www.osa.org/Awards_and_Grants/Awards/Award_Description/engineeringexcellence/|publisher=Optical Society of America|access-date=6 July 2012}}{{cite web|title=LIA's Arthur L. Schawlow award|url=http://www.thefabricator.com/article/ipg-photonics-corp/lias-arthur-l-schawlow-award-presented-to-valentin-gapontsev|publisher=Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl.|access-date=6 July 2012}}{{cite web|title=Valentin Gapontsev|url=http://eng.kremlin.ru/ref_notes/58|publisher=Russian Presidential Executive Office|access-date=6 July 2012}}

Building on previous demonstrations to improve the efficiencies of fiber lasers, in 1990, Valentin Gapontsev and Igor Samartsev first proposed using fiber laser technology to produce a high power laser beam, demonstrating 2W CW Er doped fiber lasers at 1.54μm and a 5W laser in 1991.{{Cite book|last1=Gapontsev|first1=V. P.|last2=Samartsev|first2=L. E.|date=1991|title=High-Power Fiber Laser|journal=Advanced Solid State Lasers|location=Washington, D.C.|publisher=OSA|doi=10.1364/assl.1990.lsr1|isbn=978-1557521200}} Using a side-pumping technique, Gapontsev and Samartsev's unique fiber laser architecture enabled many semiconductor laser diodes to pump through one single-mode fiber.

This created a high power, infrared laser, with single mode beam quality. This discovery also resulted in high power optical amplifiers. Optical amplifiers convert a small light signal into a powerful beam, often a thousand times brighter, but otherwise identical to the original signal. In 2018, these amplifiers are used in telecommunications and Internet networks to transmit data over optical fiber and free space.

= NTO IRE-Polus =

In December 1991, Gapontsev and Alexander Shestakov founded NTO IRE-Polus. The company was based in Fryazino, Russia. Shestakov left the company in 1994. Gapontsev started using the acronym IPG to refer to his company. It stood for IRE-Polus Group.{{Cite news|url=https://www.photonics.com/Articles/IPG_Photonics_Turned_Fiber_Bust_Into_Laser_Boom/a24101|title=IPG Photonics Turned Fiber Bust Into Laser Boom|access-date=2018-10-30}}

In 1993, IPG won a contract with Italtel, a large Italian telecommunications carrier.{{Cite web|url=https://spie.org/membership/spie-professional-magazine/archives/july-2007/independent-thinker?SSO=1|title=Independent Thinker: Valentin Gapontsev of IPG Photonics|website=spie.org|access-date=2018-10-30}} IPG developed a 200 mW erbium doped amplifier for Italtel, which became IPG's first marketable product. IPG then developed erbium fiber amplifiers using a new pump design and fiber solution.{{Cite web|url=https://wn.com/ipg_photonics|title=Ipg Photonics|website=World News|language=en|access-date=2018-10-30}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/31/valentin_gapontsev_interview/|title=Russian laser chap lights up US|access-date=2018-10-30|language=en}} In order to introduce the technology to the market, Italtel convinced Gapontsev to transfer component production to Italy. This became IPG's first European subsidiary.

In 1994, Daimler Benz Aerospace (DBA), a German company, hired IPG to create a laser-based obstacle warning system for a helicopter. DBA funded IPG's development of a new fiber laser based solution. IPG opened a manufacturing and research facility in Berlin to develop to transmitter. A year later, IPG opened a facility near Frankfurt.

In 1996, IPG launched industrial-quality, diffraction-limited (single mode) 10-W fiber lasers.{{Cite web|url=https://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/fiber-lasers-replace-flash-lamp-pumped-yag-lasers-569979|title=Fiber Lasers replace flash lamp-pumped YAG lasers.|website=news.thomasnet.com|access-date=2019-01-24}} IPG continued developing new products and selling them to customers in Japan, the United States, and Europe.

= US subsidiary =

In 1998, IPG established the IPG Photonics Corporation headquartered in Oxford, Massachusetts.{{Cite web|url=https://seekingalpha.com/article/1539082-ipg-photonics-growing-and-prospering|title=IPG Photonics Growing and Prospering|website=Seeking Alpha}}

By 2000, IPG was a $52 million company. Its customers included Alcatel, Fujitsu, Lucent, Siemens, and Marconi (Reltec). During this time, IPG started developing its multi-kilowatt diode-pumped fiber lasers.{{Cite news|url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/20060401/handson-global.html|title=Saying No to Outsourcing, Outsourcing Article|date=2006-04-01|work=Inc.com|access-date=2018-10-30}}

In 2000, IPG introduced a 100-W diffraction-limited fiber laser using its multi-fiber side-coupling technology. In comparison, the conventional diode-pumped solid-state lasers (DPSSLs) on the market used diode bars as the pump source, with each bar typically producing 40 W of power.{{Cite conference|last=Gapontsev|first=Valentin|title=Ultra high power Ytterbium fiber lasers|date=2004|conference=Pacific International Conference on Applications of Lasers and Optics|publisher=Laser Institute of America|isbn=9780912035765|pages=901|doi=10.2351/1.5056129}}

By the end of 2000, capital spending by telecommunications providers was reduced and IPG revenue from communications applications declined. IPG invested much of its remaining capital in the development of: (1) high-power industrial fiber lasers; (2) mass production lines; and (3) semiconductor pump laser diode technology. IPG pursued raising the maximum wattage of fiber laser technology.{{Cite web|url=https://www.industrial-lasers.com/articles/print/volume-18/issue-2/features/high-power-fiber-lasers-impact-material-processing.html|title=High-power fiber lasers impact material processing|website=www.industrial-lasers.com|access-date=2019-01-17}}

Between 2002 and 2003, IPG developed multi-kW industrial class fiber lasers. This was accomplished by combining the output beams of several 100-W fiber lasers.

In 2006 IPG raised more than $90 million, net of proceeds, in an initial public offering.{{Cite web|url=https://www.photonics.com/Articles/IPG_sets_IPO_Share_Prices/a27400|title=IPG sets IPO Share Prices|website=www.photonics.com|access-date=2019-01-22}} The company continued to expand, opening offices near Detroit, Michigan in 2006, Beijing, China in 2007, and its Silicon Valley Technology Center in San Jose, California in 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://www.photonicsonline.com/doc/ipg-photonics-opens-facility-in-detroit-0001|title=IPG Photonics Opens Facility In Detroit|website=www.photonicsonline.com|access-date=2019-01-22}}{{Cite web|url=https://news.thomasnet.com/companystory/824946|title=IPG Photonics Announces New Laser Micro Processing Applications Center in Silicon Valley|website=news.thomasnet.com|access-date=2019-01-22}}

Beginning in 2010, the company introduced its first quasi-continuous wave (QCW) lasers into the market.

IPG's Oxford facility was expanded to include a new production facility in 2013.

In 2017, worldwide IPG revenue grew to $1.4 billion, a 40% increase over the previous year. In 2018 the company was added to the S&P 500 stock market index.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/ipgphotonics-ipo/update-1-ipg-photonics-ipo-raises-148-5-mln-idUSN1237876520061213|title=UPDATE 1-IPG Photonics IPO raises $148.5 mln|author=Reuters Editorial|work=U.S.|access-date=2018-10-30|language=en-US}}

In late 2018, IPG acquired Genesis Systems, a robotic integration company.

IPG announced the release of the LightWELD 1500, a handheld laser welding system, late in 2020.{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2020 |title=IPG Photonics Launches LightWELD Handheld Laser Welding System |url=https://www.sme.org/technologies/articles/2020/november/ipg-photonics-launches-lightweld-handheld-laser-welding-system/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230923002841/https://www.sme.org/technologies/articles/2020/november/ipg-photonics-launches-lightweld-handheld-laser-welding-system/ |archive-date=September 23, 2023 |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=Society of Manufacturing Engineers}}

In 2021, Valentin Gapontsev stepped down as chief executive officer, retaining a position as Executive Chairman of the company. Then, Eugene Scherbakov succeeded Dr. Gapontsev as IPG's CEO. On April 30, 2024, Mark M. Gitin was appointed as the current chief executive officer.

= Canadian Subsidiary =

In late 2017, IPG announced the acquisition of Laser Depth Dynamics, a provider of an optical coherence tomography-based in-process quality monitoring and control solutions for laser-based welding applications.{{Cite web |last=Systems |first=IPG Laser |title=IPG Announces Acquisition of Laser Depth Dynamics |url=https://lasersystems.ipgphotonics.com/About-Us/News/IPG-Photonics-Announces-Acquisition-of-Laser-Depth |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=IPG Laser Systems |language=en}} The subsidiary operates as IPG Photonics (Canada) Inc. and is located in Kingston, Ontario.{{Cite web |last=Systems |first=IPG Laser |title=Laser Depth Dynamics |url=https://lasersystems.ipgphotonics.com/Laser-Depth-Dynamics |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=IPG Laser Systems |language=en}} File:10000 single mode2.jpg-doped fiber laser manufactured by IPG Photonics]]