We at AILU were very saddened to hear of the passing of Reinhard Kelnberger, whom some in the industrial laser community will remember from the days of Lumonics (JK Lasers).

Long-term friend and co-founder of InnoLas, Richard Grundmüller, shares his reflections on Reinhard’s life.

“Reinhard Kelnberger will be known to many as the co-founder of InnoLas GmbH, along with myself and Andreas Behr.

Over the years the company grew to become a solid and well recognised player in laser sources for scientific and industrial lasers, laser machines for semiconductor wafer marking and sorting, and laser systems for micro material processing. It is the opinion of Andreas and myself that InnoLas would not have developed into the company it is today without the talents of Reinhard. He was the initiator of this successful business story and the commercial director.

Reinhard was born August 19, 1959 in the Bavarian Forest, South Germany. In his adult life, after studying electronics, he passed his military service in the German army and then worked for NATO for 2 years, stationed in a secret bunker near Birkenfeld during the Cold War.

Reinhard moved to Munich in 1983 and was employed by the German branch of JK Lasers (later Lumonics), initially as a service engineer. He rose to the position of CEO at Lumonics GmbH in his later years there. In 1995 he cofounded InnoLas which has grown to include several companies and moved to its own newly-built company building in Krailling near Munich in 2002.

For those that worked with Reinhard, he was known for always being positive. He was always ready for a decision without endless discussions. And mostly he took the right decisions. Reinhard always had his door open for all employees, readily discussing any issues that needed to be solved. Employees always left his office with a smile.

Outside of work Reinhard lived for his family: he always did everything for the well-being of his children and grandchildren, sister, nieces and nephews, and also for his mother, who is now over 100 years old. He had numerous hobbies including playing the guitar, motor biking, fishing, crafting with the children and grandchildren, and in the last few months had started to work towards his pilot’s license.

Reinhard was a fine, special person with a strong sense of humour. He was warm-hearted, friendly and modest, but also a successful entrepreneur who, with his courage and will to create new things, and his visions and innovative new developments. He was not only the boss of over 70 employees, but also a friend and mentor to many. Reinhard gave a lot to many people and was a role model for all of us in his character and his actions.

In 2013, Reinhard was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, which resulted in stiffening of the lungs and made a lung transplant necessary in 2015. Around Christmas 2023 he contracted coronavirus, which led to a series of further infections. Multiple organ and lung failure ultimately led to his death on March 12, 2024 at the age of 64.

Reinhard is survived by his wife Barbara (my sister) and children Annika and Julian, as well as a daughter Natalie from his first marriage and her children Bennet and Henri.”

Richard Grundmüller