New Jenoptik CEO highlights firm’s strong position as ‘enabler of megatrends’

At Thuringia’s largest technology trade show, W3+ Fair this week in Jena, Germany, new Jenoptik CEO Dr. Dominic Dorfner introduced himself to the photonics industry. In a keynote speech, he shared insights into his first weeks in office. Together with Thuringia’s Minister of Economic Affairs and the Lord Mayor of Jena, he also explored the trends at the trade show.

The W3+ Fair, taking place on September 23 and 24, brought together business and science from the fields of photonics, optics, electronics, and mechanics. On the first day of the fair,  Dr. Dorfner, who has been in office since August 2026, spoke for the first time in front a large number of representatives from the photonics industry. At the start of the “en-tech.talks” conference,  he delivered a keynote address about his experiences during his first weeks in charge.

“It’s not just our technology, but also the passion of the employees behind it that has particularly impressed me,” he said. “Every assembly, every chip, every surgical image, every critical mission begins with individuals who are passionate about their work. This is what enables concrete applications for artificial intelligence and data communication, in semiconductor manufacturing and medical technology, as well as for security and defense. Photonics is the key enabling technology here. The combination of passion and technology creates added value for our customers and makes us successful in our demanding markets,” said Dorfner.

He also took part in a tour of the trade show with Colette Boos-John, Minister of Economic Affairs for Thuringia, and Dr. Thomas Nitzsche, Lord Mayor of Jena.

Jenoptik has been represented as an exhibitor and sponsor since the first W3+ Fair in 2023. With its focus on photonics, optics, and sensor technology, the fair reflects the company’s core competencies and also offers many opportunities at the Group’s main location for networking with research institutions, startups, and associations, as well as for recruiting.

This year at W3+, under the slogan “Enabling innovation with smart photonic solutions,” the company presented a portfolio of components, solutions, and products that demonstrate how photonics, as a key technology, is driving advancements in fields such as semiconductor manufacturing, optical communications, medical diagnostics, security technology, and automated quality inspection.

On show on Jenoptik’s booth

• High-precision micro-optical components for semiconductor manufacturing and optical communications to enable efficient and reliable data transmission. Among other items, high-precision lightweight optical mirrors manufactured for communication between satellites or to ground stations were on display.
• For ophthalmology, dermatology, and endoscopy, high-precision, miniaturized OEM solutions were presented that improve diagnostics and therapy, including laser components and subsystems as well as solutions for illumination, imaging, and image processing.
• In the field of security, information was provided on infrared cameras and laser rangefinders that can be integrated as compact, precise modules into mobile and autonomous applications.
• A live demonstration of the “SurfInspect” testing and measuring device from TRIOPTICS, a subsidiary of Jenoptik. This automated testing system is used for the objective quality assessment of the surfaces of flat optics and lenses.