POWERLASE named 21st fasting growing private technology company in the UK by The Sunday Times newspaper
- 21st Century Lasers Make POWERLASE 21st Fastest Growing UK Company
- POWERLASE is the highest-ranked industrial manufacturer in the league table
- Ranking follows two years of continued expansion and 400% growth in 2006.
POWERLASE Limited, manufacturers of the world’s most powerful nanosecond, diode-pumped solid state (DPSS) lasers, today announces the company’s listing in The Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 rankings. POWERLASE has been listed as the 21st fastest growing private technology company in the UK and is the highest placed industrial manufacturer in the rankings.
POWERLASE has been able to achieve impressive growth by capitalising on increasing demand amongst consumers for flat-panel display (FPDs) televisions. The company has developed a technique know as Rapid Laser Patterning (RLP) that enables electronics companies to increase high-volume manufacturing efficiently of the FPD units. POWERLASE has made significant inroads in the plasma display panel (PDP) and liquid crystal display (LCD) markets, leading to high-profile deals with electronics giants Samsung and LG. The RLP technique is fast becoming the preferred method of manufacture for consumer electronics companies.
The Tech Track 100 recognises UK companies that are dedicated to the development of high-tech, cutting edge technology and are based on sales growth over the last two years. POWERLASE’s high position in the league table is due to the company’s continued success and expansion, demonstrating a year-on-year growth of 400% during 2006.
A global distribution network has also been established over the past 12 months, bringing opportunities in the European, Chinese and Japanese markets in addition to those in Korea.
Company comments
Samuel Simonsson, Chairman at POWERLASE, comments: “It’s certainly an achievement to be recognised as the 21st fastest growing company in the UK. The past year has been extremely successful for POWERLASE with the development of the Rapid Laser Patterning (RLP) technique for the FDP market which means we are not only challenging, but beating competing laser manufacturers more than ten times our size.”
The latest achievement follows POWERLASE being ranked as the third fastest growing venture capital-backed company in the UK by The Daily Telegraph in September this year.
About Powerlase
POWERLASE Limited is an innovative, independent, high power Laser Company, focused on Diode Pumped Solid State lasers developed for industrial applications primarily for use in the materials processing and microelectronics markets for flat panel displays, microelectronics, automotive and aerospace sectors.
POWERLASE is supported by venture capital from MTI Partners, Deutsche Venture Capital, Esprit Capital Partners LLP (formerly Cazenove Private Equity), Alice Ventures and FNI Venture Capital.
POWERLASE is ranked as the third fastest-growing venture capital-backed company in the UK in The Daily Telegraph 2007 Business Growth Rankings and the 21st fastest growing technology company in the UK in The Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100.
About the League Table
Now in its seventh year, The Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 annual league table is compiled by Oxford-based research and events company Fast Track.
In addition to title sponsor Microsoft, the league table is co-sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
League table criteria:
Sales growth is measured by compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over two financial years to the latest available audited accounts or independently verified financial statements; either 2004 to 2006, or 2005 to 2007. A minimum of 25 weeks’ trading in the base and latest years was required. For financial years lasting less or more than 52 trading weeks, figures were annualised on a simple pro-rata basis. Annualised sales had to exceed £100,000 in the base year (2004 or 2005) and £3m in the latest year (2006 or 2007). Companies had to show an increase in sales in their latest year, plus forecast sales growth. They were not required to be in profit.
Companies had to be unquoted, independent and registered in Britain. The research was carried out by Fast Track between 1st May and 3rd August. All companies were interviewed by telephone and the majority (83) have also been visited by the Fast Track research team.
About Fast Track
Fast Track is an Oxford-based research and events company with 11 years’ experience publishing league tables ranking the UK’s top-performing private companies, and bringing together their owners to network and meet our sponsors.
The company was founded and is run by Dr Hamish Stevenson, who is also an associate fellow of Templeton College, Oxford University.
www.fasttrack.co.uk
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