Sedgefield, UK — 7 Apr 2022 — Filtronic plc (AIM: FTC), the designer and manufacturer of RF-to-mmWave components and subsystems, today announced the availability of the extended Cerus range of high-power E-band amplifiers designed for long-range commercial or military telecommunications applications, including LEO and High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS).
The high power Cerus range is now available in 1-, 4- and 8-way amplifier versions. All the amplifiers integrate Filtronic GaAs HEMT PA MMICs, which are matched in performance and power-combined in waveguide to maximise power output. The 4- and 8-way models feature an integral temperature sensor with an analogue output for accurate monitoring of thermal characteristics, along with the option of control circuitry for functions including gain control, mute control and alarms.
The Cerus amplifiers operate in the band 71 – 76GHz and 81 – 86GHz and offers excellent saturated power output levels up to +36dBm or higher, and 1dB gain compression point at +31dBm. The transmit power control range is 10dB, and small signal gain is typically 24dB.
With a typical output third order intermodulation product (OIP3) of +39.5dBm at +29dBm output power, the high linearity of the amplifiers enables them to support 256QAM modulation for high-capacity transmission.
Measuring just 40 x 40 x 47mm and weighing only 160g, their low SWAP (size, weight and power) makes them ideal for airborne and HAPS applications.
Input and output connection is via WR12 waveguide, and DC connection is via a multi-pin connector.
Sedgefield, UK — 15 Feb 2022 — Filtronic plc (AIM: FTC), the designer and manufacturer of RF, microwave, and mmWave products for the wireless telecoms, mission-critical communications and defence applications markets, today announced that it has signed a sales representative agreement with Alpha Sales Group.
Operating on the Southeast Coast of the USA, Alpha Sales Group specialize in best-in-class technologies and have an enviable reputation, with a core team that have deep, intimate knowledge of Filtronics mission critical markets. With capabilities across the whole public safety sector, including Land Mobile Radio (LMR) and 4G (LTE), the Alpha Sales Group have access to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s) and clients that will enable Filtronic to grow its client base in the Southeastern territory of the United States.
The relationship provides access to Filtronics existing mission critical product lines including its market leading tower top amplifiers, filters, combiners and multiplexers, coupled with its strong capabilities across the full RF spectrum.
“I am looking forward to working with the Alpha Sales Group to increase our prospects in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Their history within not only critical communications, but across other core markets makes this relationship extremely attractive for both parties,” said Walter Magiera, Chief Commercial Officer of Filtronic.
“Filtronic are mission critical communications experts, their product lines, coupled with their capabilities within our target markets make them an exciting manufacturer to represent. Filtronics track record of delivering TTA’s, filters, combiners along with Engineering design expertise, into the USA set them apart as a real RF technology leader and we cannot wait to get started.”
About Alpha Sales Group:
Alpha Sales Group represents manufacturers in the wireless communications space with the local sales and marketing support they need. For more information visit www.alphasalesgroup.com, or contact [email protected]
Mark Black, Chief Operating Officer, Filtronic
Throughout the widespread disruption to global supply chains caused by the pandemic and other factors, manufacturers like Filtronic have been finding new ways to build resilience and maintain output. Overcoming the challenges of supply shortages, shipping disruption, logistical complexity and extended lead times has required creative thinking and greater flexibility. It has meant being more proactive in anticipating shortages or disruption, planning further ahead, and working together with partners to secure supplies as circumstances change.
New ways to build supply chain resilience
At Filtronic, we have enjoyed success by flexing our procurement practices and adapting to uncertainty enabling us to fulfil most orders on schedule throughout the pandemic and avoid disruption to customers.
That was no mean feat, and we learned some valuable lessons about building supply chain resilience along the way. Principally, we made a strategic shift away from a classic just-in-time supply chain model approach to what we might call a “just-in-case” approach.
Just-in-time supply chains only work when supply lines are reliable and predictable. A just-in-case approach, however, relies more on planning ahead, developing robust mitigation measures and finding back-up options to cover supply shortages. To make this work, manufacturers need to build close, trusting and transparent working relationships with customers and suppliers.
Embrace long-term forecasting
Adjusting to longer lead times means forecasting further ahead. So instead of working with 6-to-12-month forecasts, we need to be looking ahead 12 to 24 months. If manufacturers are to base their procurement on such long-term client forecasts, those forecasts need to be realistic – based on likely scenarios, rather than best-case scenarios.
That requires manufacturers and customers to work in partnership, and share better insights and data to inform forecasting. For Filtronic, the customised nature of our products means that surplus inventory cannot often be reused or allocated to other products – which is why accuracy in long-term forecasting is so important.
Sharing the risks and benefits
It’s vital that everyone takes ownership in this new supply chain model. A transparent relationship between producers and customers means sharing risks. As a manufacturer, if we are ordering stock 12 months in advance of production, this will usually involve up-front payment. In a long-term supply chain partnership, that cost burden needs to be shared between the manufacturer and the customer.
There are also benefits to be shared, as well as risks. There is an opportunity to share buying power, for example. Large client organisations are likely to have significantly more purchasing clout than the SMEs supplying them. In a supportive supply chain partnership, major clients could use their buying power to procure raw materials or components at favourable rates – helping to unlock savings throughout the supply chain.
Adopt a creative, agile, proactive approach
The new strategic approach to resilient just-in-case supply chains is all about being creative and strategic, and finding new ways to get the best value out of a challenging and uncertain marketplace. As an SME, Filtronic has used its ability to make decisions quickly and be flexible to support the whole supply chain. That’s how we were able to ride out the upheaval caused by the pandemic. We were proactive, we adapted quickly and amended supply routes, so we could maintain our output and keep our promises to customers. As a vertically integrated manufacturer we were agile enough to be able to change components on our own products (where possible) as we have all the resources in house to qualify and track the use of alternative parts.
Supply chain disruption and delay is a fact of life today. The key to success is embracing adaptability, thinking differently about solving problems and collaborating to share information, expertise and resources – for the benefit of the entire supply chain.
Find out more
Walter Magiera, Chief Commercial Officer, Filtronic
If you’re an engineering or procurement professional looking for specialist suppliers to support the development of advanced radio frequency (RF) communication systems, you need to find like-minded partners that understand your challenges and can support long-term product innovation.
RF design, is complex and gets more difficult as you increase frequencies. A successful RF front end design is as much a function of packaging design as it is circuit design, and this takes decades of experience and iterative designs to master. Digital circuit design by contrast, if consistent design rules and PCB layout guidelines are followed is relatively simple. High levels of on-chip integration are possible in the digital world once the RF signal has been received and processed through the on-board analogue to digital converter.
Whether you’re developing RF systems for aerospace and defence applications, telecoms or critical communications, you know that the rapid pace of change and the high cost of component failure make speed to market, cost efficiency and product reliability the critical success factors. But in any advanced product development process, there are significant barriers to overcome to deliver the high-performance products demanded by the market.
Enhance communication and accelerate progress
A major cause of complexity and delay in product development is the need to appoint and manage multiple specialist suppliers to deliver everything from concept design to production and RF testing services. Managing projects that require coordination across disparate specialist providers is challenging and time-consuming. One way to overcome these challenges is to find a vertically integrated supplier with in-house capabilities and expertise across design, manufacture, testing and delivery.
Working with a multi-disciplinary supplier gives you direct access to all the specialisms required to design and manufacture your high-performance RF components. It means collaboration and communication between different specialists – for example, designers and production planners – happens in house, minimising delays and miscommunication between different businesses. That gives you the best opportunity to develop fully customised components for your specific needs in the shortest possible time.
Tap in to trusted knowledge and experience
Access to expertise is another barrier to RF product innovation. A shortage of highly qualified RF specialists means it’s difficult to recruit your own team of engineers. And it takes time to build up the experience and knowledge required to effectively develop and manufacture new products. That’s why tapping into the knowledge and experience of a proven supplier with a long track record can be the key to rapid, cost-effective product innovation. Experienced suppliers have honed their processes over time, they understand the pitfalls of product development, and know how to minimise costs and waste.
By applying best practice, an experienced partner will ensure you develop products that comply with industry standards and perform reliably for the long-term – reducing potential lifetime maintenance or replacement costs – while adding value at every stage.
Extend your team with proven innovators
In highly competitive markets, such as telecoms, constant incremental innovation is essential if your products are to remain competitive. Consumers constantly demand more capability for less cost, meaning it’s vital to build both efficiency and ingenuity into your product development. By creating mutually supportive relationships with specialist partners that are in tune with your thinking and ambitions, you can develop the innate understanding and cultural alignment necessary to deliver continuous product innovation.
Such suppliers provide a repository of knowledge, expertise and resources – and act as an extension of your engineering team. With a trusted and proven specialist on your side, you minimise the need to recruit in-house expertise. A highly specialised supplier can enhance your own business by providing the insights, intelligence and resources required to bring value and competitive advantage to your business, every day.
Quality, reliability and innovation – made simple
For procurement and engineering professionals, this makes the development and delivery of cutting-edge RF systems so much more straightforward and cost-effective, while minimising risk and uncertainty. It helps you to achieve your quality, value and performance targets – and hit your deadlines – at every stage of the product development process.
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Katie Graham – Head of HR – Filtronic
Radio frequency (RF) is a central building block within an array of everyday electronics and communication devices. The demand is everywhere, but the supply of RF engineers is not. Recruiting the best talent for any business is always a challenge, but recruiting well-qualified RF engineers in the UK poses a considerable test.
The UK’s ambition to develop sovereign capability for telecommunications infrastructure, semiconductor supply chains, defence and space is dependent on RF as a technology, and therefore the RF technical skills to deliver that.
Are there enough RF engineers?
At Filtronic we believe the solution requires an industry wide approach. For example, the lack of focus within UK Universities on radio frequency engineering and post graduate research opportunities limits the talent pool further. Put simply, there are not enough RF-qualified engineers in the UK. The shortage is worse the higher up the RF spectrum you go.
To solve this, Filtronic has developed its own graduate recruitment programme that invests in graduates from other complimentary disciplines and provides a range of on-the-job training for new recruits. In fact, the one-to-one support new starters receive from our experienced engineers is a significant benefit of joining Filtronic. Here, you get to collaborate directly with leading thinkers from our industry on exciting projects for tech giants, your work is highly visible and has real impact.
Demanding applications for next generation technologies
Filtronic products are applied in challenging applications such as 5G backhaul, AESA radar and satellite communications. These high-performance technologies for exacting Fortune 500 clients require high-calibre engineers. These engineers will not always be based locally, it required a rethink to develop a more flexible hybrid working environment. The pandemic has taught all of us that flexibility is a key component to business survival.
Tackling a skills shortage requires a long-term collaborative commitment between organisations such as Filtronic, universities, schools and the government. As an industry, we are competing against perceived ‘higher-profile’ disciplines, such as AI and robotics, to entice talented graduates. Therefore, the RF industry and education sector have a collective responsibility to showcase the future opportunities of a career in RF engineering. RF engineers are critical to a range of exciting opportunities from space exploration to smart cities and beyond.
Long-term commitment
There are no quick fixes to the talent shortage. Filtronic is working hard to address the issues internally by investing in our people, facilities and processes, as well as externally by collaborating with key partners such as universities and research institutes.
Our approach needs to be multi-faceted to continue to attract leading RF engineers. We have had to adapt our recruitment strategy and evolve our working practices. Equally we have increased investment in our own graduate recruitment scheme. We have also appointed a new Director of Technology, responsible for building closer relationships with organisations across the research spectrum.
If the UK is to build long-term national resilience in vital industries, then RF has a key role to play. To deliver that requires a combined effort between the public and private sector and an altogether different approach.
To learn more about Filtronic’s capabilities within critical industries such as Aerospace, Defence, Telecommunications Infrastructure and Space, click here
To learn more about a career at Filtronic click here
SEDGEFIELD, UK — 3 November 2021 — Filtronic plc (AIM: FTC), the designer and manufacturer of RF-to-mmWave components and subsystems, today announced that further to Reg Gott’s retirement at the AGM on 28 October 2021, it has appointed Jonathan Neale as Non-Executive Chairman, effective 15 November 2021.
Jonathan Neale has been Chief Operating Officer of McLaren Group for the past five years, prior to which he held a number of executive roles including Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Racing F1, between 2001 and 2016. He has occupied principal roles, leading strategic operational and infrastructure planning for the business and has been pivotal in the integration of the McLaren Racing, McLaren Applied and McLaren Automotive businesses.
Jonathan graduated from the University of Nottingham with an honours degree in physics. He began his career as a research physicist in high-frequency semiconductor design and application. He became a chartered electrical and electronic engineer at Philips Defence Systems and went on to lead the advanced development group within the electronic warfare division.
Prior to McLaren, Jonathan had been at BAE Systems, UK, as Managing Director – Hawk Military Aircraft. Having started by working as a Project Design Engineer where he led major systems projects for commercial aircraft, he was then promoted to Director of Operations and Support Operations at BAE’s Manchester and Prestwick sites and was responsible for aircraft production, customer support and pilot training. Thereafter he returned to defence systems and aircraft, taking charge of the Hawk Fast Jet Programme as Managing Director in 1999.
“”I am delighted to welcome Jonathan to Filtronic, with his extensive aerospace experience and leadership across fast moving technology businesses”, said Richard Gibbs, CEO of Filtronic. “I look forward to working with him as we seek to execute engineering programs and scale the organisation.”
“I have been impressed with the capabilities of the Filtronic organisation,” said Jonathan Neale. “I look forward to working with the Board to expand and grow the Filtronic capability from its very solid engineering base into new markets and partnerships, and to reach new customers.”
SEDGEFIELD, UK — 21 October 2021 — Filtronic plc (AIM: FTC), the designer and manufacturer of RF-to-mmWave components and subsystems, today announced that it has appointed Dr Tudor Williams as Director of Technology. Dr Williams joins Filtronic from the Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult, where he had been Head of RF and Microwave for the past four years and Interim Technical Director since the start of 2021.
Tudor has a degree in Electronic and Communications Engineering from the University of Wales, Swansea, and a PhD in RF Engineering from Cardiff University. He also previously worked at SELEX as a MMIC design engineer, and at Mesuro as an engineer and Engineering Manager, leading UK R&D strategy. During his career he has engaged with many of the major defence primes, government departments and global semiconductor players.
“It is a pleasure to welcome Tudor to the Filtronic team,” said Richard Gibbs, CEO of Filtronic. “He has a wealth of expertise in RF and microwave technology, and an enviable knowledge of the whole RF ecosystem both in the UK and internationally.”
Filtronic designs and manufactures high-performance RF, microwave, and mmWave components and subsystems for telecommunications infrastructure, aerospace & defence, critical communications and space.
“The opportunity to join Filtronic was ideal for me, and I’m excited to be joining a company with such a strong reputation for RF and microwave technology and manufacturing,” said Tudor Williams. “It is a pivotal time for the company with real opportunities to grow. Filtronic has received a number of prestigious industry awards this year, and is now looking forward to growth in its existing defence and communications markets as well as exciting emerging markets like LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites and HAPS (High Altitude Pseudo Satellites).”
SEDGEFIELD, UK — 4 October 2021 — Filtronic plc (AIM: FTC), the designer and manufacturer of RF, microwave, and mmWave products for the wireless telecoms and mission-critical communications markets, today hosted a ceremony at which Mrs Sue Snowdon, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of County Durham, presented Filtronic with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2021.
The citation for Filtronic’s award, which was first announced in April this year, centred on the outstanding growth it had achieved in export sales over a three-year period for its microwave and mmWave solutions.
“The past 12 months in particular have been exceptional for Filtronic,” said Richard Gibbs, CEO of Filtronic. “In addition to receiving this prestigious Queen’s Award, we were honoured earlier in the year to win two of Electronics Weekly’s Elektra Awards, one for Manufacturer of the Year and one for Company of the Year.”
“Demand continues to grow for our E-band mmWave transceivers, which are used to provide 5G mobile network operators with high-capacity radio links for backhaul, midhaul and fronthaul (also known as XHaul),” said Walter Magiera, Chief Commercial Officer of Filtronic. “To date we have shipped over 63,000 transceiver units, with 99.9% destined for export outside the UK.”
Filtronic products are applied globally in aerospace & defence, telecommunication infrastructure and test & measurement applications. In addition they have applications in some of the emerging world-wide communications ecosystems such as High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPS) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations. Filtronic pushes the boundaries of what is possible with RF, boasting a client portfolio of global technology leaders within their fields.
“We are continuing to invest in R & D and manufacturing across all our facilities, having recently strengthened our capabilities in Sedgefield, our RF centre of excellence in Leeds and our critical communications hub in Salisbury, Maryland,” said Richard Gibbs. “This has enabled us to grow output and to maintain a strong order book.”
The Lord Lieutenant, Mrs Sue Snowdon, commented: “To have a company here in County Durham developing market-leading RF technologies, and with world-class manufacturing facilities, is fantastic for the local economy. It was a pleasure to see Filtronic listed as a recipient of the Queens Award for International Trade, and it is a well-deserved accolade for a superb company.”
Richard Gibbs – CEO – Filtronic
The need to strengthen supply chains within the UK has assumed greater prominence recently, following disruption caused by the pandemic, Brexit and global geopolitical shifts. The complexity of global supply chains means that most countries rely on importing essential components, skills or hardware to deliver critical services. But in a world where protectionism is on the increase – whether manifested overtly or via national standards and regulations – the UK urgently needs to develop sovereignty in critical aspects of technology and build greater supply chain resilience.
Securing critical industries
Recognising this, the government has taken positive steps in the right direction, with initiatives such as Project Defend focusing on creating reliable supplies of strategically important components within the UK. Such government backing will be essential to secure the investment needed to develop internal supply chains for vital industries, so the UK is less exposed to global shortages. A significant challenge, however, will be finding ways to maintain and build competitive advantage in a world where ideas and intellectual property are flowing less freely across international boundaries.
Unique SME network
At Filtronic, we believe the answer lies in mobilising the huge network of specialist SMEs in the UK, who have the particular skills, knowledge, design capabilities and manufacturing facilities to deliver critical components for the UK. Skills, experience and know-how like this can’t be bought off the shelf, and we’re fortunate in the UK to have some of the world’s leading experts in advanced technologies to keep us ahead of the competition.
In our own business, we have 40 years’ experience of developing unique radio frequency (RF) components and sub-systems for high-performance communication networks. Our products today are the result of accumulated knowledge and innovation, honed over 40+ years of adapting to new frequencies and changing industry demands.
Defence and telecoms focus
The UK government is focusing on the defence and telecommunications infrastructure sectors in its initial efforts to build strategic autonomy. This is where the many specialist SMEs in the UK can really help to build robust networks and enable the UK to capitalise on emerging opportunities. In telecoms infrastructure, for example, we don’t have a giant company able to directly replace Huawei, but we do have many niche suppliers that can deliver all the essential pieces of the jigsaw.
Emerging opportunities in space
The next big step in telecommunications is likely to involve satellite communications. The UK government has invested in OneWeb, with the ambition of developing satellite constellations to compete directly with the likes of SpaceX and Amazon. Filtronic already has the RF technology to support satellite communications, and can help the UK build the valuable space capabilities that are likely to be in great demand globally in the years ahead.
Maximise existing capabilities
The initiatives established by government so far are extremely welcome, and there is clearly momentum behind the drive to invest in UK supply chains. Now is the time to maximise the unique breadth and depth of skills, intellectual property and capabilities that already exist in the UK. This is vital not only to secure our critical industries and enable them to thrive in a rapidly changing world, but also to build the strong technology base the UK needs to remain open to global trade and to build new relationships worldwide.
To learn more about Filtronic’s capabilities within critical industries such as Aerospace, Defence, Telecommunications Infrastructure and Space, click here
UK Government’s Innovation agenda drives early visit to Filtronic by the newly-appointed Minister for Science, Research and Innovation
SEDGEFIELD, UK — 29 September 2021 — Filtronic plc (AIM: FTC), the designer and manufacturer of RF, microwave, and mmWave products for telecommunications infrastructure, aerospace & defence, critical communications, and space markets, last week welcomed the newly-appointed Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, George Freeman to its state-of-the-art facilities in NETPark, Sedgefield.
The visit was part of a wider initiative to showcase the North East region’s capabilities within the space sector. Mr Freeman was joined by Paul Howell, Member of Parliament for Sedgefield, and Sarah Slaven, Managing Director of Business Durham. Filtronic impressed the contingent with its latest generation E-band transceivers, power amplifiers and hybrid manufacturing capabilities. The technology and capabilities that Filtronic provides partner perfectly with the governments objective for the UK to be a science and innovation superpower.
Richard Gibbs, CEO of Filtronic, commented: “We were delighted to be able to demonstrate the technology leadership and expertise we have within Filtronic. Our visitors were impressed with our team, facilities, and the products that we develop here within the North East. Having a robust innovative UK supply chain is an area of real focus for the UK government and we were glad to demonstrate our potential role.”
The Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, George Freeman said: “The North East and County Durham are rapidly becoming a cluster of 21st century science and technology, with particular expertise in advanced manufacturing. Filtronic is a vital part of this rapidly emerging cluster.”
“Following the recent visit of the Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, I am absolutely delighted that I have been able to encourage the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, George Freeman MP, to follow in his steps. I am very happy that he has joined us in his first week in post,” said Paul Howell, MP for Sedgefield. “When I visited Filtronic in July, I said that their track record is second to none within UK RF technology, and it makes me immensely proud that the North East can boast world class manufacturers on its doorstep. The pace at which they innovate and the markets they operate in, and opportunity to use their intergenerational skill set to help solve those problems through interesting jobs, makes organisations like Filtronic a key part of the Government’s Space strategy. A visit from the Minister for Science could not be more timely.”
Sarah Slaven, interim managing director at Business Durham, said: “We were delighted to welcome the minister to NETPark and to introduce him to some of the exciting and innovative companies we have at the park, like Filtronic.”
“The North East Satellite Applications Centre of Excellence which is based at NETPark has played an important role in the growth of the region’s space sector, championing space opportunities and connecting businesses to bring new expertise into the sector,” she continued. “We look forward to continuing to work with Filtronic and the other hi-tech business to build on the success they have had developing the next generation of advanced technologies.”
