Warning issued
The official opening ceremonies issued warnings, however, to the European financial community, which several speakers berated for a shortsighted lack of interest in high technology. Jurgen Weber, chairman of the Laser 97 exhibitor board and managing director of Polytec GmbH, said that while the German photonics industry is growing at a rate of 20 to 30 percent, "German companies are not owned by Germany anymore. German investors just aren't interested anymore."
He and other speakers at the kick-off ceremony urged Europe's political leaders to encourage high-tech investment as a key to future economic success. Otto Wiesheu, Bavarian state minister of economics, transportation and technology, said that without high-tech industry, the country will suffer. "The only way to solve the problem of new jobs is to invest in new products and new technologies," he said. "We cannot focus on the things that we can do today; we must look forward to what will be needed in 10 years. The location that does not participate in R&D now will not be involved in participating when the markets are split up."