One of the USA's leading producers of components for the global space and satellite industry has struck a manufacturing deal with a Great Yarmouth-based firm after opening a new UK division in the town.
Maxwell Technologies UK Ltd has reached an agreement with C-MAC MicroTechnology to provide the European, Canadian and Asian space markets with fully qualified, radiation-tolerant, microelectronic memory devices.
The special relationship between the two was initiated last year and is now gearing up for production.
No details of the value of the potential deal were revealed, or whether it will mean new jobs and orders, but initially, C-MAC will assemble, test and qualify Maxwell's radia-tion-tolerant pro- ducts at its Great Yarmouth planr.
But the ambition is to develop a whole range of com-ponents which can be manufac-tured in the UK and delivered directly into Europe.
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.
Keith Watts, who heads up Maxwell Technologies' new UK division, said: 'The two companies combine a wealth of design and manufacturing expertise in microelectronics technology and the agreement confirms our commitment to the European space market in particular.
'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 which has been fundamental to the success of Maxwell in the US over the past 45 years,' he added.
Karen Oddey, CEO aerospace and defence, at C-MAC MicroTechnology, said: 'This agreement strengthens C-MAC's position as the leading European manufacturer of radiation- hard, space-qualified micro-electronics while helping to ease the procurement process for satellite producers throughout Europe and beyond.
'Maxwell have built a solid reputation for its range of memory products and our intention is to make this the first step in a long and mutually successful relationship.'
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