Thomas MerkThomas Merk will become president and CEO of Rofin-Sinar Technologies Inc. on July 1.

He succeeds Günther Braun, who will remain with the company for a period of time to assist with the transition of duties.

Dr. Peter Wirth, chairman of Rofin's board of directors, credited Braun with strengthening the company's strategic position and leading it through developments including the recent introduction a third generation of high-power fiber lasers.

"We are now entering a new phase of the company's development and we will co ntinue to focus on innovation while taking a firm, bottom-line approach that will accelerate our competitive advantage and build value in this market," Wirth said.

Merk has been chief operating officer of Rofin's Laser Micro Group since 2005 and its laser marking business since 2006, and has been a managing director of Rofin-Baasel Lasertech GmbH & Co. KG in Germany since 2000.

He started his career in 1989 at Boehringer Werkzeugmaschinen Vertriebs GmbH in Germany and remained there until 2000, most recently serving as sales director. Merk has a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the Technical University of Stuttgart.

Braun has been president and CEO of Rofin-Sinar Technologies since 2005 and a member of the company's board of directors since its initial public offering in 1996. He previously served as executive vice president of finance and administration, chief financial officer, and treasurer. He joined Rofin-Sinar Laser GmbH in 1989.

Rofin-Sinar Technologies develops lasers and laser-ba sed systems for industrial materials processing. Its products range from single laser-beam sources to highly complex systems, including CO2, fiber, solid-state and diode lasers with output powers from single watts to multiple kilowatts and a range of wavelengths and pulse durations, as well as a range of laser components.

The company has operatio nal headquarters in Plymouth, Mich., and Hamburg, Germany, and maintains production facilities in the U.S., Germany, U.K., Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Singapore and China.