On January 31, all the luck and relentless efforts aligned perfectly – we achieved the near-impossible: winning our second SPIE Prism Award for our outstanding industrial femtosecond laser, the FemtoLux 30.
From now to then
2024
2023
High-intensity laser system SYLOS 3 was installed at the ELI-ALPS Research Institute (Hungary). Again, we did it in partnership with Light Conversion.
2023
Kęstutis Jasiūnas, long-term CEO of Ekspla, now the chairman of the company board, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award by the European Photonics Industry Consortium EPIC.
2020
2020 were special for us for two really dear reasons to us – our home city Vilnius and our Alma Matter Vilnius University. We were awarded the title of Vilnius City Benefactor for being first founders Vilnius University Foundation, for investing in to the future of Vilnius University along with other laser manufacturers.
2019
On May 15, 2019, the ultra-fast and high-intensity laser system SYLOS was launched at the ELI-ALPS research center. Ekspla together with Light Conversion combined our technologies and achieved an impressive result – we created the most powerful laser among the fastest, and at the same time, the fastest laser among the most powerful lasers in the world.
2016
Vilnius University Foundation was established on April 6, 2016, thus becoming the first university endowment in Lithuania. The Foundation establishing treaty was signed by the first three investors –JSC Ekspla, JSC Light Conversion and investor Alvydas Žabolis.
2015
Sunrise Valley Technology Park and Innovation Center were opened in June 2015. By uniting business and science, the center accommodates various scientific institutions under one roof, such as the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, the Science and Technology Park of the Institute of Physics, as well as more than 20 high-tech companies. EKSPLA is one of the main initiators of this center.
2014
In November 2014, together with Light Conversion, we were contracted to design and produce a 4 TW kHz laser system for ELI-ALPS in Hungary, employing a version of Optical Parametric Chirped Pulse Amplification (OPCPA) technology developed at Vilnius University. The laser was designed for research into the movement of electrons in atoms and molecules.
2014
In September 2014, we started an ongoing partnership with the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI), the world’s leading laser-based research infrastructure. That year, we and US-based National Energetics were awarded a contract to develop and install an ultra-intense laser system for the ELI-Beamlines facility in the Czech Republic.
2011
Our team proudly shared the ‘Photonics Oscar’ – the Prism Award for Photonics Innovation in 2011. Our NT200 laser was the first product from Central and Eastern Europe to receive the award for the world’s most advanced product in the scientific laser category.
2008
Every year, young, talented people join our team as interns, and many chose to stay with us and grow together. The picture – our team in 2008.
2006
Ekspla has been certified according to the ISO 9001 standard. Not only if signified our commitment to quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, but it also opened us additional markets.
2000’s
We are glad that that our achievements are noticed. EKSPLA has received many important awards. ‘National Advancement Award’, ‘Innovation Prize’, ‘Swedish Business Award’, and ‘European Sails Award’ are just few of them in the 2000s.
1994
From the start we all supported each other. Instead of asking ‘Why me?’, we asked ‘Who if not me?’ Tailored products, close collaboration, and EKSPLA expertise are the key elements in our success. The picture – our team in 1994.
1993
Japan holds a special place in EKSPLA’s history. Japanese customers first noticed sparkles in our eyes and acquired the first laser marked with the EKSPLA logo. In the year 1993, lasers were the only product exported from Lithuania to Japan. Three years later, we entered the USA market.
1992
EKSPLA was officially founded on November 11, 1992, as an independent company with little money but abundant creativity and a thorough technical understanding of lasers and their potential applications in research and industry.
1987
The PL1020 series picosecond laser – predecessor of modern EKSPLA picosecond lasers – was introduced in 1987. At its first launch event – LASER World of PHOTONICS ’87 – the laser was sold to Münster University.
End of
1980’s
1980’s
The primary focus has always been on customized laser technologies. The first commercial picosecond laser and parametric generators were created over 30 years ago.
End of
1980’s
1980’s
In spite of great difficulties and limited resources, creativity of scientists and engineers allowed them to approach and conquer any challenge. From the left: LIDARAS – atmospheric pollution measurement system (1986); Engraving machine (1989); First optical table (1985); Cathode ray tube dehermetizer YLA (1985).
1983
1983 marked the rise of the laser technologies in Lithuania. The foundations of EKSPLA were laid when a small group of creative and brave physicists and engineers at the Pilot Plant of the Institute of Physics, later named EKSMA factory united around the idea of employing lasers for research and industry.
1983
One of the first picosecond lasers VIJUKA-1 was very well received after its introduction in 1983.
1980
In the 1970s and 1980s, driven by scientific persistence and expanding experience, aspiring physicists established several small research laboratories dedicated to exploring laser physics and optoelectronics. From these laboratories, renowned Lithuanian laser science and technology centers have emerged.
1966
Fundamental and applied research in laser physics began in Lithuania almost six decades ago. The first laser was activated at Vilnius University in 1966. The photo shows the ‘godfathers’ of the first laser: Prof. Jurgis Viščakas and his post-graduate student (now Prof.) Juozas Vidmantis Vaitkus.