Laser Design Inc. Named One of America's Fastest Growing Companies in 2007
(MINNEAPOLIS, MN; October 9, 2007) - Laser Design Inc., the leading supplier of 3D laser scanners for more than 20 years, was named one of America's fastest-growing private companies by Inc. Magazine. The 2007 "Inc. 5,000" award honors 5000 U.S.-based, privately held, independent companies that are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2003 through 2006. Ranked number 1,996 nationally, Laser Design holds 44th place of the fastest-growing companies in the state of Minnesota. Revenue growth in the last 3 years is close to 200% and the number of employees has more than doubled.
"The creation of the Inc. 5,000 list signifies the expanding power of the entrepreneurial economy. . . . I commend you on achieving such a noteworthy success and recognize the tireless energy and steadfast commitment that went into building your company into what it is today," said Loren Feldman, Editor of Inc.com in a congratulatory letter to Laser Design.
Cited as a product innovator, Laser Design seeks to establish itself as the gold standard in speed, accuracy, and ease-of-use for 3D laser scanning with its patented laser probe technology which it designs and manufactures. The company also operates a worldwide services division offering contract 3D laser scanning and other measurement services.
Originally inspired by a grant offered by the U.S. Navy to industry to devise a non-contact scanning technology, Laser Design used laser triangulation measurement to develop a laser probe. At first slow and clumsy, 3D non-contact laser scanning technology has been transformed in the last 20 years from single-point data collection capable of gathering only a few points per second (pps) to line-laser technology at speeds of up to an incredible 75,000 pps with the company's latest scanning probes.
As mainstream computer hardware and software became more powerful and affordable, the ability to work with large 3D data files (point clouds) without needing a super-computer also fueled the growth of the laser scanning industry. Laser scanning systems project a line of laser light onto surfaces while cameras continuously triangulate the changing distance and profile of the laser line as it sweeps along. The problems of missing data on an irregularly shaped or concave surface are eliminated. The system measures fine details and captures complex free-form geometry so that the object can be exactly replicated. Laser scanners quickly measure objects, picking up tens of thousands of points per second, and generating huge numbers of data points without the need for templates or fixtures.
As non-contact 3D laser scanning becomes a mainstream technology for industries such as automotive, aerospace, architecture, archaeology, biomedical, and consumer and commercial electronics as well as apparel, the opportunity for growth has exploded. It is now a standard process for industrial projects that require inspection, reverse engineering, ultra-precise measurement of parts with complex shapes or free-form surfaces, terrestrial laser scanning, and high-speed inline inspection.
"We now have high-profile customers who make the latest consumer electronic and telecommunication devices and the NASA Space Shuttle, as well as art museums and universities scanning ancient artifacts," commented C. Martin Schuster, President of Laser Design. With no end in sight for the advancement of the technology or the proliferation of applications, Laser Design is poised for even more rapid growth on a worldwide scale. Schuster continued, "As our technology becomes more widely adopted, our focus is on improving our customers' efficiency, quality, time-to-market and ultimately their bottom lines. We are very proud of the fastest growing 'Inc. 5,000' designation awarded us by Inc.com, a leader in the online business community."
Laser Design, Inc. has been the leading supplier of ultra-precise, 3D laser scanning systems and services since 1987. Used for capturing the 3D shape of objects with complex geometries and free-form surfaces, Laser Design's Surveyor line of automated and portable scanning systems are ideal for 3D scanning applications involving inspection and reverse engineering of complex shaped plastic and metal parts. The company's patented laser line-probe technology dramatically reduces scanning time by collecting data substantially faster and more accurately than conventional metrology technologies. Laser Design integrates Geomagic software with its laser scanners to provide complete solutions for reverse engineering and inspection applications.
Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company also has Regional Technical Services and Support Centers in Seattle and Detroit, and distributors throughout Europe and Asia. Laser Design also operates GKS Inspection Services (www.GKS.com), an in-house service bureau division offering complete 3D scanning, reverse engineering, and dimensional inspection services.
For further information, contact C. Martin Schuster, by phone (952-252-3402), fax (952-884-9653), via email to sales@laserdesign.com or visit Laser Design's web site at www.laserdesign.com.
