Together we
strengthen
the photonics
industry

Photona GmbH is now the sole shareholder of LASER COMPONENTS UK. Managing Director Chris Varney transferred his share in the company to the holding, as he retired after 25 years at the helm of one of the leading providers for high-quality photonic components in the British market. 

From now on, former head of sales Dan Barlow will be in charge of company business in his capacity as General Manager. He joined the company in January. Dan can look back on more than twenty years in the industry and brings extensive expertise in key markets such as Semiconductors, Industrial Lasers, Fiber Optics, and Optoelectronics as well as in-depth knowledge of important customer industries like Life Sciences, Aerospace, and Defense. Throughout his career, he held leadership positions with both established industry players and innovative startups. 

“We have to thank Chris for the amazing work he did in the last 25 years”, says Patrick Paul, CEO of Photona. “He managed to turn a small sales office into one of the UK's most respected names in the photonics industry. Thanks to his skill, expertise and hard work, LASER COMPONENTS UK is now a household name for industries requiring advanced technology solutions, such as quantum technologies, oil and gas sensing, and fire detection. It is sad to see him leave, but we are sure that Dan is the right man to take over what Chris began and expand business beyond borders.” 

Effective July 1, 2021, LASER COMPONENTS GmbH changes into Photona GmbH. Under the new name, the company will focus primarily on the management and strategic expansion of the company group. The operational business including most employees are transferred to the newly established LASER COMPONENTS Germany GmbH. Patrick Paul will serve as CEO of both companies.

The transition is accordance with the German Reorganization Act via a spin-off and new formation. Daily operations, along with the registered office, business address, and managing directors, will remain unchanged for LASER COMPONENTS Germany GmbH.

»This restructuring paves the way towards future success for the whole company group«, said Patrick Paul. »It will help us to dedicate ourselves to our main goal: providing cutting-edge solutions in the lasers and optoelectronic components industry.«

Photona GmbH supports a school in Republic of Togo with bags, file folders and stationery and other school supplies. With the help of German charity organization »fly-and-help« the company was happy to identify a school that was in dire need of new equipment. 

»Corporate Identity is not only a matter of design, but also of conduct,« said Caroline Paul, Chief Culture Officer at Photona. »By repurposing and donating company items, we are making a meaningful difference in the lives of students in Togo. This is how we understand our commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.« 

Photona GmbH remains dedicated to finding innovative ways to give back to communities and looks forward to implementing more initiatives that promote positive change.

Photona GmbH is happy to report that its first major charity project under the new company name has been brought to a successful end with the opening of a new school building in Abang, South Sudan. The company had supported the project of Fly & Help - Die Reiner Meutsch Stiftung (fly-and-help.de) - with a donation of €50,000. New classrooms for almost 400 children of the local elementary school had become necessary after the old clay-and-thatch building had been destroyed during the rainy season.  

The project is part of a long-term social responsibility commitment at Photona GmbH. Each year, the company will donate a certain amount of all the overall group profits to a charity organization with an international outlook to satisfy the interests of the entire group.

Photona GmbH further expands its team with Chief Product Officer (CPO) Dr. Florian Blobner. Starting in February 2022, he will be in charge of group-wide strategic product development. After due analysis of current market trends, he will make sure to initiate engineering projects that meet these demands. Overseeing all production facilities, he will also ensure a timely time-to-market process. Product managers, technical directors, and sales directors of all subsidiaries will report to Dr. Blobner. 

Dr. Blobner holds a physics degree from Technical University of Munich and completed his PhD in 2013. Before joining Photona, he held several sales positions at Hamamatsu Germany GmbH and First Sensor AG. He has been actively involved in product management since 2019.