magazine for business and investment - Innovatives Niedersachsen

Image: LPKF Laser & Electronics AG
Companies
Niedersachsen Global 45
LPKF has skills in precision drive technology,
laser technology and optics as
well as control engineering and software.
Photo: CEO Dr. Ingo Bretthauer.
specialists in laser micromaterial processing
Technology from LPKF Laser & Electronics AG in Hanover is contained in every second
smartphone. CEO Dr. Ingo Bretthauer discusses the sales market in China, the future of the solar
sector and a possible entry into the TecDax.
What are the core competencies at LPKF?
We are mechanical engineers with a specialisation in laser
micromaterial processing. This requires skills in precision
drive technology, laser technology and optics as well as
control engineering and software. Only when we perform
with excellence in all areas do the laser systems provide
what customers expect from them.
LPKF operates worldwide and has an export ratio of
90 percent. You export 47 percent to Asia, of which
two-thirds is exported to China. What is specific to
the Chinese market?
In reality even more systems go to China since many of the
internationally invoiced laser systems land in production
sites in Asia. These systems must run 24/7, be low maintenance
and easy to use. In the Chinese market you can only
be successful if you have reliable partners located near to
the customers. LPKF works with seven subsidiaries in China
and with a professional service network.
The Chinese government has still not set up any special
financial support for laser technology. Is that
positive for LPKF or does it not make any difference
since your expertise is primarily in individual pieces
or small ranges?
The ranges that we produce and deliver are not that small,
but when taken as part of a full costing, our laser processes
are often more cost-effective than other production
methods. We only need simple and reasonably-priced component
carriers and we can respond extremely flexibly to
layout changes and considerably reduce the time-to-market.
The bottom line is what counts. Also there are often
no alternatives when complex and high-precision structures
are required.
Contact
LPKF Laser & Electronics AG: www.lpkf.com
How many employees do you have in your seven sites
in China and how many in Germany?
Over the last few years we have now grown to 640 employees
worldwide. These are broken down into 455 in Germany
and 77 in Asia.
How seriously should the subject of plagiarism and
patent infringement in China be taken?
Occasionally we see such attempts but the combination
of high-tech, software and process expertise protects us
from this. However, we still take the subject seriously. Some
suppliers infringe our patents for 3D components. We have
worldwide procedures to protect our ideas and inventions.
LPKF has been developing LDS technology for over ten
years. How far has this technology come in that time?
We are identifying more and more applications. Laser
Direct Structuring (LDS) applies conducting tracks onto
three-dimensional components, combining electronic and
mechanical functions. We estimate that a LDS component
is contained in every second smartphone. Slowly being
added to this now are Notebook and Tablet antennas
when weight is to be reduced. We are also successful in
the medical sector. For instance, LDS technology can be
used to produce particularly small and light hearing aids.
Other good examples can be found in automotive technology.
For instance a radar sensor carrier combines the radar
antenna with the electronic evaluation systems, enabling
the car to identify vehicles in front or any obstructions in
the direction of travel.
In September your company could enter the TecDax.
What will change then?
Nothing at all! We will continue to develop excellent products
and place a notable part of our earnings into research
and development. LPKF already has financial reporting
which provides shareholders and investors with maximum
transparency. We are looking forward to TecDax because
we expect increased international interest as a result.