Expert. Forum. Optics.
As a forum for cooperation and knowledge transfer in the photonics industry, Optence e.V. has been establishing contacts between photonics companies and academia for over 20 years and, as an innovation network for optical technologies, contributes to generating and accelerating innovations through numerous activities. Our more than 100 members benefit from personal contacts, information, training and consulting. The members of Optence cover the entire value chain of optical technologies. Download Brochure
The association
The members come together at the general assembly at least once a year, decide on the budget, elect the board every three years and significantly determine the activities of the association. Decisions are made on the basis of the association's statutes, which are regularly adapted to current developments by the general assembly.
Chairman: Dr. Jürgen Petter, AMETEK, BU Taylor Hobson
Deputy chairman: Raimund Bayer, Ernst Leitz Wetzlar
Other members of the board:
- Helge Vogt, Edmund Optics
- Dr.-Ing. Olaf Dambon, son-x GmbH
- Matthias Pfaff, OptoTech GmbH
Photonics Hub GmbH
The Photonics Hub GmbH is the cluster management organization of Optence e.V. founded in 2018 and manages the association's operational business. In addition, the company is a service provider for the entire photonics industry.
The office
Our Office is located in Wörrstadt, Rhineland-Palatinate, surrounded by vinyards. Sounds idyllic but at the same time the excellent infrastructure of the Rhine-Main area also allows us to reach our members quickly, to organise centrally located events and to “take off“ internationally.
There are currently four full-time employees whose tasks include technology transfer, further training, events, public relations, internationalization of the cluster and management. A fifth employee is on parental leave and will support the team again from February 2022.
Opinions of our members - Hartmut Zahel-Mahlberg, SCHOTT AG
Optence offers SCHOTT excellent access to the German optics network. The events and discussions enable new industry contacts and promote exchange on new fields of application and technology. Both are crucial for SCHOTT in order to develop new products and solutions.