McMinnville Based Tech Manufacturer to Grow Research and Development Capabilities
MCMINNVILLE, OREGON, January 25, 2021 – Applied Physics Technologies, Inc. (APTECH), a worldwide leader in design and manufacture of precision parts for scientific research, has announced plans to relocate the company’s research and development team from McMinnville to Hillsboro, Oregon. The move will facilitate the expansion of APTECH’s manufacturing capabilities in McMinnville and the hiring of additional staff, including development engineers, lab technicians, and manufacturing personnel to the growing APTECH team. Besides providing much needed space for personnel, the new location will also include a state-of-the-art research laboratory. APTECH’s R& D Team works with companies across the globe to design custom electron emitter solutions expand the potential application of thermionics.
A leader in the production and manufacture of electron emitting cathodes, APTECH was incorporated in 1995 as an outgrowth of research conducted for over a decade at Linfield Research Institute at Linfield College in McMinnville. Initially housed in a garage belonging to APTECH co-founder and Linfield Professor, Dr. William Mackie, APTECH has grown to overflow its current location in McMinnville. Building on a solid foundation providing new and rebuilt electron sources for use in electron microscopes, 3-D printing of refractory metals and alloys, advanced x-ray generation tools, and lithography systems for integrated circuit manufacturers, APTECH experienced consistent financial and market share growth. In 2019, Mackie announced plans to retire, and APTECH was sold to Hitachi High Tech America.
Now under the leadership of CEO and President, Dr. Marcus Straw, APTECH expects to increase production and market share, while maintaining outstanding product quality, and a commitment to the community that has been home for nearly three decades. CTO Dr. Bud Magera will head up the R&D efforts at the new facility.
The McMinnville location will continue to house administrative and expanded manufacturing functions, requiring highly skilled technicians and specialized equipment to fabricate high quality, single-crystal materials using a well-defined process called “Inert Gas Arc Float Zone Refining.” The floating zone refining technique has been perfected over the years to produce some of the purest material available from refractory metals (W, Mo, etc.), LaB6/CeB6, and transition metal carbides (ZrC, HfC, etc.). After crystals are made, they are carefully shaped to exacting specifications, assembled into cathodes and cathode assemblies, and tested before shipping to customers the world over.
The move to the Hillsboro facility is expected to take place in March 2021, with seven staffers planning to move to the new space.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Applied Physics Technologies
Marcus Straw, President | 503-434-5550 | mstraw@a-p-tech.com
