High power fibre laser specialist IPG Photonics has announced a strategic partnership with Lincoln Electric Holdings, an Ohio, USA-based producer of arc welding and cutting products. The partnership will see the two companies exploring global opportunities in the high-power laser welding and cutting market. Lincoln Electric selected IPG to be part of its strategic supplier vendor list in its effort to enhance supply chain and technology development relationships with critical industry partners.
Under the agreement, the two companies will pursue ways of providing hybrid fibre laser-MIG welding solutions to industrial customers around the world. The partnership will also see the two companies cooperating on sales, application development, and marketing efforts. IPG states that the partnership will allow the companies to implement improved business processes and to commercialise products more rapidly.
'Our companies have enjoyed an excellent working relationship over the past several years,' said Dr Valentin P. Gapontsev, chairman and chief executive officer of IPG. 'Strategic partnering is an effective vehicle to grow market presence, accelerate opportunity creation and strengthen our competitive position. This agreement reinforces our valued relationship with Lincoln Electric, provides a unique forum for persistent engagement at the executive levels of both companies, and ultimately ensures our mutual customer base can enjoy the depth and advantages of the high-performance enabling technologies each company offers.'
