Companies and associations that are pursuing photonics manufacturing standards should work together, according to papers from photonics- and manufacturing-related associations and financial analysts at a July forum sponsored by SPIE. The forum included presentations and discussions of photonics manufacturing and packaging standards, the photonics manufacturing equipment supply chain, and ways to build the infrastructure that photonics needs to thrive. Alan Rae, chairman of the National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative's optoelectronics technical interest group, agreed to lead an ad hoc committee that developed as a result of the discussion. You can reach Rae at arae@ced.cookson.com for more information about the committee and its plans, which include a conference and forum this fall.