Photonics Companies Form EPIC Group

PARIS, Dec. 29 -- Five European photonics companies have established a new photonics association, the European Photonics Industry Consortium, or EPIC. Founding members are Aixtron AG, Cambridge Display Technology Ltd., Osram Opto-Semiconductors GmbH, Philips Lighting BV and Sagem SA.

EPIC is part of a project sponsored by the European Information Society Research and Technology Development, a research program of the European Union co-funded by the European Commission and industry.

Bernd Schulte, president of EPIC, said the new association's goal is to build sustainable growth for European optoelectronics industries by bringing together the three important sectors of the photonics industry: manufacturers of fabrication equipment, components manufacturers and users of photonics components and systems.

"EPIC will develop and maintain the technology roadmap for photonics technologies that are critical for the development of European industries. This roadmap will be a basis for its discussions with European Commission in order to design research and development program that respond to the needs of European companies," Schulte said.

He said EPIC is seeking 75 to 100 members from companies and institutions "that are committed to the success of photonics products that are conceived in Europe, and sold all over the world."

Membership is open to companies, research institutions, universities and financial institutions that have operations in the European economic area, including the countries of the European community, candidate countries and non-member European states.

For information, contact T.P. Pearsall, EPIC general secretary, at: pearsall@epic-assoc.com