The Brevard Technical Journal

Increased demand promises success for communications design, manufacturing group
SRI group provides a range of RF and microwave communications products, solutions

by Kathy Hagood
Brevard Technical Journal

James Twombly, President of Summation Research, Inc. (left) with David Paauwe, who is using this machine to make connectors. Photo by Michael R. Brown, © 2004.

The 9-11 terrorist attacks brought down a number of technology companies nationally, which has slowed the revenue growth of Melbourne-based SRI Connector Gage Co. and its sister companies, Summation Research Inc. and SRI Hermetics.

But because companies the SRI family supplies have won major Department of Defense contracts in recent months, SRI's future is looking good.

The privately held SRI companies design, manufacture and supply a variety of communications solutions and products:

SGI Connector Gage, by far the largest of the companies, designs and manufactures coaxial connectors for RF communications equipment. Founded in 1985, the company supplies connectors to 53 countries.

Summation Research, Inc., which was created in 1989, designs and manufactures communication and test products and solutions.

And the recently formed SRI Hermetics designs and manufactures hermetic connectors.

"Through the three companies, we're able to provide our customers a range of RF and microwave communications products and solutions," said Jim Twombly, president of the companies.

The bulk of SRI's sales are made to major contractors including The Boeing Co., Lockheed Martin and Harris.

The SRI group shares space and administrative support in a 12,000-foot design and manufacturing facility in Melbourne. SRI Connector Gage employs 36 workers and the other two companies have a total of 14 employees on staff.

After Twombly and his partner, Tom Drago, purchased SRI in 1997, revenues rose about 25 percent a year until 9-11. Since then revenue increases have shrunk to about 1 to 2 percent.

Twombly jokes that SRI is still able to pay the bills and employee salaries.

"The technology sector took a big hit. A number of the dot-coms went down the tubes and they all used connectors," Thwombly said. "We've gotten more contracts in recent years, but there have been fewer key orders."

That's expected to change as major Department of Defense contracts ramp up, Twombly said.

Major contractors like Harris have been awarded large Department of Defense contracts, which will entail significant communications needs.

"We could be generating revenues of 8 to 9 million dollars a year in two to three years if all goes as planned," he said.

SRI used to contract directly with the government but about eight years ago decided the cost of being a direct supplier didn't make sense.

"It's been a better strategy to supply the major contractors," Thowmbly said. "We're a small company and we don't have the staff to adequately chase contracts."

Since SRI Connector Gage was founded, it has supplied more than 2,000 standard and custom connector product designs.

Its unique products include adapters, in series, between series, SUPERITES, low loss cable connectors, cable assembly tools, custom interconnect products, legacy hardware, special applications, interface and separation force gages.

Because of the need to increase bandwidth, SRI is able to supply requirements of frequencies as high as 65 GHz.

SRI prides itself on being able to turn around new designs in one to four days and to deliver them in less than eight weeks. That's because it has in-house engineering, manufacturing and testing.

"We believe when you have it all in-house you have better control over the design and manufacture," Twombly said.

The newly formed SRI Hermetics specializes in high-performance hermetic connectors for such industries as defense, aerospace, space and satellite, telecommunications, oil and deep-sea exploration.

The connectors can be used in implantable medical devices, high vacuum, infrared vision, electro optical and MEMS nano packaging.

Summation Research focuses heavily on research and development as well as manufacture to provide comprehensive RF, analog, digital, firmware, and software solutions.

Its product line provides for both satellite and private land mobile data telemetry markets. The company supplies general purpose and custom communications equipment and automated test equipment.

"The three companies enhance and support each other's capabilities. We've found them to be a good mix that allows up to meet our customers' needs," Twombly said.

For more information about the SRI companies, visit www.sriconnectorgage.com.