2010 will celebrate 50 years of breath taking advances in laser technology and applications. From the minds of a few ingenious physicists, a Nobel prize or two, and the frenzied efforts of research laboratories across the world, the past 50 years has seen laser technology evolve from curious and mesmerising laboratory instruments, to one of the most enabling and engaging scientific inventions of all time. The pinpoint precision and steadfast direction of its beam is a wonder to behold. The purity of light emitted by the laser is easy to see, its magic beguiles the observer and holds their attention like no other scientific instrument. The impressive light output is easily matched by the incredible applications that have been developed to apply the uniqueness of spatial and temporal coherence, unmatched by natural sources of light. This manmade wonder has grown so widespread in application that it touches every part of our lives, from the production of magazines to the cooling of atoms, and the welding of automobiles to the destruction of missiles. This talk will present a galloping review of past achievements in laser manufacturing and a glimpse into the future research opportunities and manufacturing applications of the next generation of high power laser technology.