Oct 20 - Laser Design Named in Inc 5000 List

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Laser Design, GKS Redesign Website

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MINNEAPOLIS, MN, Oct 20, 2008 - Laser Design Inc., the leading supplier of 3D laser scanners for more than 20 years, was named one of America's fastest-growing private companies by Inc. Magazine for the second year in a row.

The 2008 'Inc. 5,000' award honors 5000 U.S.-based, privately held, independent companies that are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2004 through 2007. Ranked number 3,232 nationally, Laser Design holds 64th place of the fastest-growing companies in the state of Minnesota. Revenue growth in the last 3 years is 105% and the number of employees has more than tripled. "Our competition is stiff in this fast-moving industry, and we are constantly innovating to stay ahead of the curve," commented C. Martin Schuster, President of Laser Design.

The Inc. 5,000 selection committee noted that, "the economy has not slowed the growth of these 5000 companies that range across industries from construction and manufacturing to IT services and business services." Indeed, Laser Design's revenue continued to increase during the tough economic conditions from 2006 to 2007. The company is employing the 2008 Economic Stimulus Act to encourage businesses to invest in their cutting edge high-speed, high-accuracy laser scanning systems that may be eligible for a one-time 50-percent depreciation allowance for 2008 purchases.

Cited as a product innovator, Laser Design seeks to establish itself as the gold standard in speed, accuracy, and ease-of-use for 3D laser scanning with its patented laser probe technology which it designs and manufactures. The company also operates GKS Inspection Services, a worldwide services division offering contract 3D laser scanning, dimensional inspection, and other measurement services.

3D laser triangulation scanning was originally inspired by a grant offered by the U.S. Navy to industry to devise a non-contact scanning technology to measure the cavitation wear in large ship propellers. Laser Design improved the single point laser scanning technology that was developed into a laser line scanning technology. Today Laser Design's laser line technology is thousands of times faster than the original. Laser Design won Minnesota's "Technology of the Year" award for its development of this laser line scanning technology.

As mainstream computer hardware and software became more powerful and affordable, the ability to work with large 3D data files (point clouds) without needing a super-computer also fueled the growth of the laser scanning industry. Laser scanning systems project a line of laser light onto surfaces while cameras continuously triangulate the changing distance and profile of the laser line as it sweeps along. The problems of missing data on an irregularly shaped or concave surface are eliminated. The system measures fine details and captures complex free-form geometry so that the object can be exactly replicated. Laser scanners quickly measure objects, picking up tens of thousands of points per second, and generating huge numbers of data points without the need for templates or fixtures.

As non-contact 3D laser scanning becomes a mainstream technology for industries such as automotive, aerospace, architecture, archaeology, biomedical, and consumer and commercial electronics as well as apparel, the opportunity for growth has exploded. It is now a standard process for industrial projects that require inspection, reverse engineering, ultra-precise measurement of parts with complex shapes or free-form surfaces, terrestrial laser scanning, and high-speed inline inspection.

"We now have high-profile customers including Apple, Motorola, Samsung, Toyota, and Hyundai, who make the latest in consumer electronics and automotive products as well as NASA, the CIA, the U.S. Army and Navy, as well as art museums and universities scanning ancient artifacts," explained Schuster. With no end in sight for the advancement of the technology or the proliferation of applications, Laser Design is poised for even more rapid growth on a worldwide scale. Schuster continued, "As our technology becomes more widely adopted, our focus is on improving our customers' efficiency, quality, time-to-market and ultimately their bottom lines. We are very proud to receive the fastest growing 'Inc. 5,000' designation for two consecutive years from Inc.com, a leader in the online business community."

About Laser Design, Inc.

Laser Design, Inc. has been the leading supplier of ultra-precise, 3D laser scanning systems and services for over 20 years. Used for capturing the 3D shape of objects with complex geometries and free-form surfaces, Laser Design's Surveyor line of automated and portable scanning systems are ideal for 3D scanning applications involving inspection and reverse engineering of complex shaped plastic and metal parts.

The company's patented laser line-probe technology dramatically reduces scanning time by collecting data substantially faster and more accurately than conventional metrology technologies. Laser Design integrates Geomagic software with its laser scanners to provide complete solutions for reverse engineering and inspection applications.

Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company also has Regional Technical Services and Support Centers in Seattle and Detroit, and distributors throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. Laser Design also operates GKS Inspection Services, an in-house service bureau division offering complete 3D scanning, reverse engineering, and dimensional inspection services.

For more information, visit www.laserdesign.com.

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