Fiber Laser Report

Scope of the Report

Products and Markets Covered

• Global market for fiber lasers in all application areas
• Product segmentation: market data is provided by laser specs (power, pulse regime, wavelength) for each application
• Market forecasts are based on clearcut assumptions including substitution of existing lasers, new applications, development of fiber laser technology, price trend
• Market shares are given by application area and type of fiber laser

Application Areas Covered

• High power laser materials processing
• Low power and precision materials processing
• Micro materials processing processing
• Medical therapy, instrumentation
• Measurement and sensing
• Defense
• Basic research
• Large area video displays

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Major Findings of the Report

The fiber laser market is expected to grow from US$ 2.2 billion in 2017 to US$ 4.4 billion in 2025. Fiber lasers hold a market share of 33% in the addressable application areas, including materials processing, instrumentation, measurement and sensing, medical therapy, large area video projection, defense, and basic research. Especially in materials processing, which is by far the most important field of application of fiber lasers, their market share has increased steeply, from 4% in 2005 to 12% in 2010, 36% in 2016, and 43% in 2017. The rapid success of fiber lasers until now was due to the replacement of other lasers in existing applications such as cutting, welding and marking. Fiber lasers offer advantages regarding power consumption, compactness, and ruggedness, while providing the power, pulse parameters, beam quality, and wavelengths needed by major applications. Moreover, due to lower cost and easy integrability, fiber lasers have extended the application range of conventional lasers especially in cutting and marking. In 2017, the major source of growth for the fiber laser market was for the first time not substitution of other lasers but market expansion, in new applications as well as in existing applications due decreased laser prices at the low end (mass market) as well as due to increased performance at the high end (power, pulse parameters). In addition, the booming demand for industrial lasers in China fueled the market increase in spite of the narrowing substitution potential. During the last ten years the majority of startup companies in the field of laser sources focused on fiber lasers. Today, about 100 companies sell and many more companies develop fiber lasers. Especially in China many companies have developed fiber lasers for the major market segments including high power cw and nanosecond pulsed fiber lasers. The major markets for fiber lasers are Europe and China. These regions are the major end markets for manufacturing systems equipped with fiber lasers, and the two regions are also the home of the majority of the major system integrators.

Please e-mail us for our detailed information brochure on the report featuring more findings and market data.

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Key data from previous fiber laser reports

Fiber Laser Report 2015

The fiber laser market is expected to grow to US$ 1.25 to 1.28 billion in 2015, up from US$ 1.08 billion in 2014. Fiber lasers hold a market share of 24% in the addressable application areas, including materials processing, instrumentation, measurement and sensing, medical therapy, defense, and basic research. Especially in materials processing, which is by far the most important field of application of fiber lasers, their market share has increased steeply, from 4% in 2005 to 12% in 2010 and 28% in 2014. The rapid success of fiber lasers is due to the fact that they have replaced other lasers in existing applications such as cutting, welding and marking. Fiber lasers offer advantages regarding power consumption, compactness, and ruggedness, while providing the power, pulse parameters, beam quality, and wavelengths needed by major applications. Moreover, due to lower cost and easy integrability, fiber lasers have extended the application range of conventional lasers in several areas. During the last ten years the majority of startup companies in the field of laser sources focused on fiber lasers. Today, about 50 companies sell and many more companies develop fiber lasers. Increased competition has lead to lower prices for low power standard fiber lasers, and many market participants expect decreasing prices for additional fiber laser products. While this leads to an expanding market for applications with high price elasticity of demand it may hurt sales growth in other segments. The major markets for fiber lasers are Europe and China. In China fiber lasers have become available at a time when the industry was ready to widely adopt laser technology in manufacturing. This in turn also attracts an increasing number of local fiber laser manufacturers.

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Key data from previous fiber laser reports

Major Findings of the FIBER LASER REPORT 2009

Press Release March 3, 2009
Fiber Lasers: Opportunities for Market Growth
Further improvements needed in cost-performance ratio

Taegerwilen, March 3, 2009 – With an average annual market growth rate of 42% over the last three years fiber lasers have been highly successful, and the worldwide market reached $ 300 million in 2008. The most important application area is materials processing, with a market volume of $ 210 million, corresponding to a market share of 7% (2008 world market for all lasers in materials processing: $ 3.0 billion. Examples of further market growth areas for fiber lasers are: flat sheet cutting, fine processing, and marking. Nevertheless, fiber lasers have not yet been successful in replacing current technology in the majority of applications in materials processing, medical therapy, information technology, and defense. Bulk solid-state lasers and gas lasers (CO2, excimer) are still the first choice for many applications. They provide a larger range of parameters at competitive cost, especially when certain pulse regimes and different wavelengths are required. This is one of the major findings of the new report ‘Fiber Lasers 2009’ published by Optech Consulting. The report is based on the results of the workshop ‘Fiber Laser Markets, Key Challenges and Opportunities’, held by the European Photonics Industry Consortium, EPIC, on 6th November 2008 in Dresden, Germany. Optech Consulting has added additional information from expert interviews, as well as market information. Main issues investigated in the report comprise the competitive position of fiber lasers, and the improvements required for their extended application in macro and micro materials processing, medical therapy, displays, and defense. For further information please visit www.optech-consulting.com.