One of the United States’ leading producers of components for the global space and satellite industry has opened a new UK division in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

Maxwell Technologies UK Ltd has also reached a manufacturing agreement with Yarmouth-based C-MAC MicroTechnology to provide the European, Canadian and Asian space markets with fully qualified radiation-tolerant microelectronic memory devices.

Keith Watts, who heads up Maxwell Technologies’ new UK division, said: “We are working independently of our US parent company and in response to demand created by the rapid growth of domestic and military satellite technology and continuing space exploration in the UK, across Europe and beyond.

“But we will match the same exacting standards and quality that has been fundamental to the success of Maxwell in the US over the past 45 years.”

The special relationship between Maxwell Technologies in the UK and C-MAC was initiated last year and is now gearing up for production.

Initially, C-MAC will assemble, test and qualify Maxwell’s radiation tolerant 1Mb and 4Mb EEPROM products at its plant in Great Yarmouth but the ambition is to develop a whole range of components which can be manufactured in the UK and delivered directly into Europe.

The close relationship will combine C-MAC’s extensive range of microelectronic packaging and test services with Maxwell’s top class space grade memory products.
 
Clients will be able to order the high performance semi-conductors from the UK division’s team of European representatives and no longer need to have them exported from the US.
 
Each will be designed, manufactured and tested by C-MAC, a specialist in high reliability electronics and with more than 20 years experience in the space market. It has the essential accreditation to MIL-PRF-38534 Class K or ESA’s ESCC 9000 generic procurement specification if required.

• PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS: Keith Watts, who heads up Maxwell Technologies’ new UK division