Dear Reader, The most important event for the laser community this summer will surely be the Laser 2005 Fair in Munich. All the signs are good: The economic indicators are positive and the resonance for other fairs (Hanover: + 20 %) was excellent this year. As we went to print (mid-May) the number of exhibitors in Munich was already at 1,018, an increase of almost 20% over 2003 … and rising. We are also expecting a larger international interest in the fair and so have decided to print the whole issue in English. This idea has met with a positive echo from our authors as well as from advertisers. They have encouraged us to publish one English edition in addition to our German issues next year as well. To further increase the journal's coverage, this issue will also be distributed at conferences in Japan (LPHYS 05, CLEO PR) and the US (SPIE annual meeting) – many thanks to our colleagues from Wiley US and Wiley Japan for their support in this matter. The laser sector is currently enjoying an excellent economic trend, and the forecasts are even being corrected upwards (see our marketing article on p. 11). What are the factors behind such positive developments? Looking at the dollar/euro exchange rate one would expect great difficulties, especially for German manufacturers. Yet this is definitely not the case, as we were told by Dr. Peter Wirth, the new chairman of the board (and former president) of Rofin Sinar Technology (see the interview on p. 12). A high degree of innovation, on the one hand, and the increasing integration of laser technology among established manufacturing methods, on the other, ensure a continuous growth for laser system manufacturers. When we began thinking about the international distribution of this issue we tried to select articles and topics that allow you a good overview of the German laser community. Therefore, we are showing such hot developments as the thin disk laser (Adof Giesen) and the fiber laser (Andreas Tünnermann), as well as proven industrial technology, such as CO2 lasers from Trumpf (Michael von Borstel et al) and the Excimer lasers from TUI-Lasers (pp. 42). With the focus on laser sources we have selected just one aspect of German laser technology, but one that we hope is a particularly interesting one. Last but not least, one item on our own behalf: With this issue we officially welcome the members of our advisory board. They have already been supporting us actively until now in the selection of new topics and in our strategic orientation. Our cooperation will become even more intense in the future, for instance with the special issue on FEMTONIK, to be published in November. Many thanks to the team from the VDI Technologiezentrum (a subsidiary of the German Association of Engineers) and particularly to Eckhard Heybrock for his support. Now we hope you enjoy the Laser 2005 fair and this issue. As always, your feedback is highly welcome at laserjournal@wiley-vch.de.