Micro-optics developer PowerPhotonic Ltd. has announced plans to invest in a new facility that will triple its current manufacturing capacity. Scheduled to be completed by the end of 2018, the company’s move will transfer its operations into a larger, 15,820-sq-ft facility to capitalize on global growth opportunities. The investment will include the creation of a new Class 1000 clean room facility, which expands production capacity for PowerPhotonic’s micro-optic technology. The expansion will also create 16 new, permanent, highly skilled jobs to the area over the next three years. “These plans represent a major expansion to our business and will significantly grow our production capacity,” said Roy McBride, managing director at PowerPhotonic. “Demand for PowerPhotonic’s unique micro-optic technology has been growing fast across a wide spectrum of worldwide laser applications. Our expansion plan will enable us to capitalize on this and future demand.” The company designs, manufactures and sells precision micro-optics worldwide to the laser industry. It developed a commercial technology out of research undertaken at the world-renowned Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, with its main applications including the medical, industrial materials processing, telecommunications, scientific and defense industries.