News | March 11, 2005

Chelton Microwave To Overhaul Organizational Structure

Source: Cobham

By Jim Pomager
Senior Editor

RF Globalnet has learned that Cobham (Bolton, MA), a supplier of antennas, radomes, components, and subsystems to the defense and aerospace industries, is reorganizing its divisional structure in an effort to improve its component integration and subsystem design/development offerings. The company expects the realignment to be completed by March 2005.

Currently, Chelton operates six distinct divisions - Atlantic Microwave Corporation (Bolton, MA), Atlantic Positioning Systems (Clearwater, FL), Continental Microwave & Tool Company, Inc. (Exeter, NH), Chelton Control Systems (Manchester, NH), Nurad Technologies, Inc. (Baltimore), and Kevlin Corporation (Methuen, MA). Each of these companies operates as an autonomous entity and has its own infrastructure and manufacturing facilities. Several divisions have overlapping technologies, which results in redundancies and, often, confused customers.

To combat this problem, Chelton Microwave will establish five Centers of Excellence (COE), consolidating and aligning the six former divisions under specific technology and marketplace focuses. Each COE will administer its own management, business development, sales, marketing, design and development, and manufacturing services.

The five new Chelton Microwave COEs are:

  • Sensor and Antenna Systems will consist of all Chelton Microwave technologies involving antennas, antenna subsystems, sensor positioning systems, and radomes/composite structures. The technologies and products within the COE include the products of Atlantic Microwave, Atlantic Positioning Systems, Continental Microwave & Tool, and Nurad Technologies. The Sensor and Antenna Systems COE will be headed by Nurad president John McNulla.

  • Integrated Waveguide Systems will consist of all Chelton Microwave technologies involving waveguide components and integrated microwave components. The technologies within this COE will include the products of Atlantic Microwave and Continental Microwave & Tool. The Integrated Waveguide Systems COE will be headed by John Moore, currently president of Continental Microwave & Tool.

  • Rotating Systems will consist of all Chelton Microwave technologies involving rotational electromechanical and electromagnetic products, such as rotary joints and slip rings. The Rotating Systems COE will be headed by Kevlin chief Andy Pellerin.

  • Chelton Solid State Systems will consist of Chelton Microwave passive and active coaxial solid state RF microwave and millimeter wave devices and multi-function assemblies. The Solid State Systems COE will be headed by new hire Ralph Marrone.

  • Overhaul and Repair will market the capabilities of each Chelton Microwave COE and will assist prime contractors and government depots in the overhaul and repair of older obsolete components. The Overhaul and Repair COE will be headed by Atlantic president Bob Ricci.

According to Mark Fournier, director of sales and marketing at Chelton Microwave, the Centers of Excellence will encourage multidisciplinary engineering collaboration, better utilize Chelton's manufacturing expertise, and focus the company more closely on its customers' problems in the early conceptual stages of a new program.

"Going forward, Chelton products that are common to each other will be more effectively developed and managed out of the same Center of Excellence," Fournier told RF Globalnet. "As a result, our customers gain a clear path to the people who are best equipped to help them.

"The new alignment will also allow us to work closely with OEMs and systems integrators to formulate, design, and build solutions for their technical problems," he added. "In the end, the customer winds up with the most cost-effective, highest-performing Chelton Microwave product."

Current Chelton Microwave customers who have questions about the new organizational structure are encouraged to contact the company.