The 4JET Group (Alsdorf near Aachen) is celebrating its 20th anniversary and can look back on an extraordinary development: since its foundation in Hückelhoven in 2006, the company has grown from a start-up with five employees to an internationally active, medium-sized group of companies with around 250 employees in four countries.
The technology company specializes in laser processing of glass and surfaces. 4JET develops laser processes and integrates them into fully automated machines for customers all over the world.
Over the past two decades, 4JET has delivered around 700 machines worldwide and established subsidiaries in Munich, China, and the USA. Today, the company is one of the leading specialists for laser-based production solutions and industrial surface processing.
A key factor in its success is its consistent investment in research and development. More than ten percent of its revenue is regularly invested in new technologies and applications. The result is a broad product and patent portfolio with over 450 patents granted and patent applications filed worldwide.
"From the very beginning, our aim was not only to improve industrial processes, but to fundamentally rethink them," says founder Jörg Jetter. "The fact that many of our solutions are now considered standard in the industry confirms that we are on the right track."
The tire industry has always been one of 4JET's most important sales markets. Technologies such as laser-based cleaning of tire molds and permanent marking of tire sidewalls have developed from niche applications into established standard processes. 4JET also set standards early on in the solar industry, for example with laser edge stripping, which contributes to increasing the efficiency of solar modules.
With the acquisition of Corning Laser Technologies GmbH, 4JET specifically expanded its portfolio to include applications for the glass processing industry. This enabled the company to tap into additional future markets and strengthen its position as a cross-industry technology partner.
On its 20th anniversary, 4JET is not only looking back, but above all looking ahead. The focus remains on sustainable, efficient production processes, close cooperation with international industrial customers, and the expansion of its global presence.