We transform cutting-edge photonic technology into practical customer-focused solutions. Access Laser Company strives to be the trusted source for photonics solutions. Through stable growth and continuous thought leadership in ever-expanding markets, we provide a truly global footprint. This is sustained by attracting top talent from around the world and maintaining a growth mindset to continually expand our photonics expertise.
Be honest; do what is right; respect others; pursue excellence; and exercise individual integrity.
We pursue unique and innovative solutions that add value for our customers.
We strive for value and quality as complementary standards; we are never content with just good.
We empower our employees to take ownership, recognizing achievement and sharing the risks and rewards of our pursuit of excellence.
We treat every customer with the same high level of respect and attention, knowing that each unique solution we provide can enable their future success.
Our team can find a solution to every challenge through a commitment to listen, understand, and work through the challenges facing our customers.
June 1999, Access Laser Company is founded by Dr. Yong Zhang, PhD, in Arlington, Washington.
The first stable, low-power CO2 laser was introduced at 100 mW, providing a level of performance previously thought impossible for such a compact gas laser. To this day, Access Laser Company remains the only producer of low-power, RF-excited, CO2 lasers below 5 watts.
Higher-power lasers with new performance-enhancing technologies such as the Super Pulse option become available. They enable an increase of peak powers by a factor of three over their average power. This feature remains a major point of differentiation among laser manufacturers and has allowed ALC to enter the medical market.
Line Tracker was first developed and marketed, offering an optical feedback loop at a fixed wavelength for hours of operation. This enabled industry-leading power stability of ±1%. Compatible with all ALC grating-tunable lasers and invar stabilized lasers, this technology allowed customers computer-controlled line tuning and stabilization.
During the height of the global recession, when the laser industry suffered heavy losses, Access Laser Company maintained healthy revenue growth. To accommodate their expansion, the company hired new employees and moved into a larger facility in Everett, Washington.
With the company thriving the board of directors decided to fill out the management team and refocus the company’s key personnel on their strengths. This decision proved prescient. The changes implemented by the expanded leadership team factored heavily into the eventual acquisition by TRUMPF in 2017.
As part of Access Laser Company’s commitment to improving the processes used to manufacture its light sources, a state-of-the-art clean room production facility was built. It meets the demanding requirements of the semiconductor industry.
After years of collaboration, dating back to the mid-2000’s, Advanced LIGO and Virgo announced the detection of gravitational waves. Those measurements were aided by an Access Laser L50-T. It contributed to lowering the noise floor, by precisely heating the optical elements, and focusing the interferometer signal beam.
After working together with our team, and engaging in extensive negotiations, TRUMPF acquired an 85% stake in Access Laser Company. This was a huge event for everyone at Access Laser. We had joined not only one of the largest photonics companies in the world, but also one that separates itself from competitors through a culture of integrity and respect.
Due to the continued success of Access Laser’s application-specific solutions, and growth in all departments, the company recently moved to 2211 West Casino Road, in Everett, Washington. The building doubled the size and capacity of Access Laser Company. It was also meticulously redesigned to ensure a material and product workflow that emphasizes cleanliness and quality.
