kept on growing and after re-organisation, I became business unit manager responsible for thin-film photovoltaics. I ran the unit with about 40 of the 100 people working for InnoLas at the time, and my unit was responsible for the development of the glass business. I was part of the negotiation team when Corning proposed to buy out InnoLas Systems. At one point, the owner of InnoLas,


Richard Grundmüller, asked me if I would consider being the CEO of the new InnoLas Solutions and build the company up. For me, there was nothing else to say but yes to that offer, because I was thinking about the next step after Corning’s acquisition of InnoLas Systems. At the time, I didn’t think I was suited to a large corporation. I was young and enthusiastic – I wanted to create things. And although I had no clue about what would happen in the next few years in this new role, I accepted the offer. So, I performed my new function with great pleasure, passion and with a lot of working hours. Looking back now, everything brought me to where I am now.


What are some of the challenges you have had to deal with during your career? I found it challenging to build an infrastructure that works for an international business, while running the company at the same time. The business is running, euros are coming in and the customers are demanding and requesting things. While all of this is happening, you have to pull up the company structure. As you go along, you must also find the right


“Our team of eight started operating InnoLas Solutions in an empty building, with no tables, no chairs, no computers or phones, and with thousands of parts on the shop floor”


talent that can grow the company from a strategic point of view, but is hands-on enough to run the business. Another challenge for me is that, at the


time, the speed of development in the PV industry was very demanding. This means you cannot just improve marginally but need to develop disruptive technologies. When InnoLas Solutions was starting to


grow and we were planning strategies to take additional steps toward the company’s development, we also had difficulties on how to internationalise the company. Most European companies in the photonics industry ship their products to markets outside of Europe (for example Asia and the USA). To sustain such business, it is important to maintain your customers. That means building up their capabilities and technically developing with them. And


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you must do all of this in their time zones, close to their facilities, and in their native languages. This is very simple to put into writing but very tough to execute, and you must figure out how to get your investment back. So, you have to partner with companies with a similar focus or needs, or those that offer the same solutions to almost identical markets, to avoid spending too much money.


Growing a business is arguably challenging. But can you also tell me about an exciting moment in your career? One of the exciting moments in my career is when InnoLas Solutions was just starting, and we were able to get its operations back from scratch in a short span of time. After only three months of operations, InnoLas Solutions got its first orders and then operations went smoothly for the first year.


What do you have planned for the company?


InnoLas Solutions expects to grow into a larger company with an international presence. Being acquired by CGS, we adhere to its ‘buy and build’ approach. CGS set up a holding structure on top of the acquired company and combined their funds and experience in selling internationally with the technical expertise and market knowledge of the acquired company. This is the buy-and-build approach that will help the company internationalise and transform it into a global manufacturer. For instance, at the beginning of this


year, our group acquired LS Laser Systems, which has a complimentary product. LS Laser offers laser trimming equipment, a product for the electronic industry. Most of the customers requiring laser trimming also need a de-paneling or laser hole drilling tool. This makes LS Laser a matching company from a cross-selling point of view for InnoLas, because we can provide the infrastructure to help them to grow. LS Laser does not have the sales channel needed for the distribution of their products. That is what InnoLas can offer in the US, as well as the Asian market. With this buy-and-build approach, our target is to build an international group running in the range of €80 to €100m in turnover.


What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs in the industry? Don’t think too much about the challenges – just go for it and do it. Whenever there is an opportunity, some people dwell too much on thinking about difficulties or possible harm that may come their way. While they are weighing their options, the opportunity has passed. If there is an opportunity, go for it and learn along the way. EO


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