In the coming years, quantum technology will also enable considerable leaps in innovation in mechanical and plant engineering, as it will make it possible, among other things, to introduce completely new measuring methods or to place materials research on a new footing. The VDMA has been accompanying this change for some time now with its Photonics Forum and the activities of several specialist divisions and regional subsidiaries. In order to bundle and network these competences and resources in the VDMA on a single topic-oriented platform and to give the topic of quantum technology better visibility, the VDMA Photonics Forum has now been renamed the VDMA Quantum Technologies and Photonics Forum. This was announced to the members at the Future Business Summit at Cern in Geneva in June.

In future, the following VDMA organizational units will work together on the topic of quantum technologies in the forum: 

• Competence Center Future Business
• Electronics, Micro and New Energy Production Technologies
• Compressors, Compressed Air and Vacuum Technology
• Laser and Laser Systems for Material Processing
• Regional Subsidiary Baden-Wurttemberg / Alliance Industry 4.0 Baden-Württemberg
• Measuring and testing technology

In the field of photonics, the forum relies on a membership of more than 500 companies and research institutions along the entire value chain – of which about 400 members are mainly active in the field of photonics.

In the future, a steering committee on quantum technologies consisting of representatives of the member companies will be established to define the goals of the forum. The activities of the various organizational units of the VDMA will be coordinated by the forum. 

The forum uses synergies to anchor quantum technologies and photonics more firmly in the consciousness of politics and the public. Among other things, it uses its own newsletter and the information channel at IndustryArena for this purpose. In addition, the forum will represent the topics of quantum technologies and photonics at various national and international trade fairs and conferences.