Pioneering visionary behind the fiber laser

We make the world a better place

The company embarked on a new phase by adopting the name VPG LaserOne. This rebrand honours the legacy of founder Dr. Valentin Pavlovich Gapontsev while advancing his vision, scientific rigour and entrepreneurial drive.

The best tribute to Dr. Gapontsev is progress: today VPG LaserOne partners with leading organisations across engineering, metallurgy, rail and automotive, delivering high-performance laser solutions known for reliability, ease of use and low total cost of ownership.

NTO “IRE-Polus” spun out of the IPG Photonics group to become an independent company, unlocking flexibility for growth, product innovation and partnerships.

Launched the FL-Hydro hydro-laser cutting complex — a universal 5-axis platform for ultra-precise cutting and drilling. Designed for advanced materials such as semiconductors, ceramics, composites, metals and dark-coloured plastics, it serves industries that demand exceptional accuracy and versatility.

Precision innovation in float glass cutting

Developed an automated laser system for high-quality, industrial-scale cutting of monolithic and laminated float glass. This advance enabled precise cutting of complex geometries and met production requirements with tailored, high-performance solutions for specialised industrial applications.

Introduced LightCLEAN — the most powerful, compact hand-held laser cleaning system, setting a new benchmark in portable surface treatment. It enables non-contact, damage-free cleaning of rubber, plastics, metals, glass and stone, removing rust, oxides, oils, coatings and other residues without heating or altering the surface.

Created LightWELD, the world’s first manual laser welding system — a step-change for industrial welding. Suitable for both thin and thick metal applications, LightWELD combines high precision, deep penetration and operator-friendly control in a compact, portable package.

Opened more than ten state-of-the-art laboratories to support advanced laser processing, application development and customer training.

Built a strong global footprint with 30-plus representative offices worldwide, deepening international partnerships, customer support and market access.

Introduced a new generation of medium- and high-power flagship lasers — YLS-U, YLR-U and YLS-AMB — lifting performance, efficiency and adaptability across industrial uses.

Reached a key milestone with TongWELD, the world’s first orbital laser welding system for automated, high-precision welding of casing pipes and other cylindrical parts, enabling laser welds to replace threaded couplings with superior strength, reliability and efficiency.

FiberLase U1 was recognised as the “Gold Standard” in urological laser therapy, setting new marks for precision, safety and clinical efficiency. Widely adopted for procedures such as lithotripsy and soft tissue surgery, it became the preferred solution for leading urology clinics and specialists worldwide.

Launched FiberLase U2, the world’s first SuperPulsed thulium (Tm) fibre laser, establishing a new benchmark in medical laser technology with enhanced precision, control and safety for advanced surgical applications.

Introduced the FiberLase series — a new generation of advanced medical laser systems for minimally invasive procedures across multiple clinical fields, signalling a strategic move into med-tech that blends precision laser engineering with patient-centred innovation.

Expanded the site to 5 hectares with 13 new buildings and over 60,000 m² of production and R&D space to support industrial growth.

IPG Photonics completed its NASDAQ IPO, a landmark in the company’s trajectory. In December 2006, the company and investors placed 20% of shares; on day one the price rose from US$16.60 to US$25.00, taking market capitalization to US$1.2 billion.

Developed the world’s first 1 kW industrial fibre laser, a breakthrough that set a new standard for cutting, welding and other advanced manufacturing applications.

Commenced in-house manufacture of super-bright pump diodes — a pivotal step towards vertical integration — improving quality, performance and scalability of fibre-laser systems.

Launched and registered the first domestic laser scalpel-coagulator based on semiconductor lasers — Lazon-10P — developed with the Federal Research and Production Centre “Pribor” and IRE-Polus. This milestone marked entry into medical laser technology and laid the foundation for future laser-based surgical systems.

Established a United States production facility — IPG Photonics — marking strategic expansion into North America. This site later became the parent company of the global IPG Group, accelerating growth and leadership in fibre-laser technology.

Founded IPG Fibertech S.r.l. in Italy, initiating serial production within the group.

The largest order, worth several million dollars, was placed by leading US telecom operator BellSouth.

Valentin Gapontsev relocated to Germany and set up IPG Laser GmbH to execute a strategic Daimler-Benz Aerospace project — an obstacle-detection system for helicopter navigation — expanding IPG’s European presence and entering the aerospace sector.

A compact research team built the first diode-pumped fibre light-amplifier prototypes, surpassing existing global technologies in output power.

In Fryazino near Moscow, the newly formed NTO “IRE-Polus” began operations. Starting from a small rented room at IRE RAS, Dr. Gapontsev assembled physicists and engineers from IRE and Polus — one of the USSR’s leading laser institutes — to pursue practical laser applications, laying the groundwork for a future global leader in fibre-laser innovation.

The first order came from the Italian telecom company Italtel.

In December 1991, Dr. Valentin Gapontsev — then head of a laboratory at the Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IRE RAS) — established the Scientific and Technical Association “IRE-Polus” with colleagues, students and a team from the Polus Research Institute led by A. V. Shestakov; with IRE RAS and Polus as co-founders, the name reflected this joint origin.

V. P. Gapontsev and I. E. Samartsev demonstrated a 4.9-W fibre laser and published a paper projecting scaling to tens and hundreds of watts — a foundational insight for high-power laser technology.

V. P. Gapontsev and I. E. Samartsev presented a breakthrough erbium-doped fibre laser at 1.54 µm with 2.0 W output — twenty times higher than prior VL radiation levels.

This achievement was the result of over two decades of scientific research and marked a major turning point in the development of high-power fiber laser technology. The team became global pioneers in the field, maintaining their leadership to this day.