MPB Technologies Inc. (MPBT) was founded by M. P. Bachynski and started operations in early 1977 primarily as an R&D Company with a staff of eight people. The business plan for this venture won the 1977 Canada Enterprise ......MPB Technologies Inc. (MPBT) was founded by M. P. Bachynski and started operations in early 1977 primarily as an R&D Company with a staff of eight people. The business plan for this venture won the 1977 Canada Enterprise Award for a start-up company. In 1985, a strategic plan was initiated to transform the Company in to a product-based operation where business activity would be primarily commercial and would compete in the international market. This approach required a very careful selection of niche market areas which built upon the Companys existing strengths. The result has been a select number of products whose performance equals or surpasses its competition world wide. The diversification eventually included works in Space, Fusion Technology, Electromagnetics, the Forest Industry, Robotics, and Lasers. MPB Technologies Inc. entered into the field of optical fiber telecommunications when it was approached by Teleglobe Canada to undertake a feasibility study on active undersea multiplexing switches for transatlantic telecommunications. This feasibility study led to a multi-million dollar contract award by the constortium of AT&T, British Telecom, Telefonica (Spain), France Telecom and Teleglobe Canada, for MPB to design, develop, and manufacture the Worlds First Undersea Branching Multiplexers (UBM) and associated Special Terminal Equipment (STME) for the Trans-Atlantic Telecommunications System (TAT-9). The system was put into commercial operation in early 1992. The development and supply of the undersea branching multiplexers (UBMs) for TAT-9 demonstrated the ability of MPB to design and build highly complex products for extreme environments and to unparalleled standards. The UBMs are the most complex products yet deployed in an undersea environment and were built to standards of less than one failure in 25 years. Unrepeatered Links & Optical Line Enhancement Equipment Following the completion of the UBM project, MPB selected the niche market of long unrepeaterd links as a follow on business to pursue. Extensive international marketing activities were undertaken and resulted in a number of major projects worldwide. MPB produces a series of Optical Link Enhancing transmission equipment for repeaterless systems - to extend the range of fiber optic systems without regeneration. The systems may extend beyond 500 km unrepeatered. The RMH Series of products includes low noise preamplifiers, high power amplifiers, boosters, narrow spectrum sources and transmitter modulators for "chirp-free" transmission, remotely pumped amplifiers, and patented Raman pump sources. MPB also supplies branching units for traffic diversity within a repeaterless submarine system as well as splice boxes used in the repair of broken undersea cables. Long unrepeatered links require the "ultimate" in equipment performance viz high launch power into the fiber, control of non-linearities in the fiber, ultra low noise preamplifiers, etc. As a result, MPB has evolved its technology development in concert with the requirements for these opportunities designing products with performance characteristics approaching the theoretical limit. These developments have permitted MPB to develop Optical Link Enhancement equipment of superior performance for the telecommunications market as well as Fiber Lasers and Fiber Amplifiers for the aerospace and industrial markets where power efficiency, reliability and compact size are fundamental requirements. Engineering Services & Support In addition, MPB provides engineering services in support of customer requirements. These services include optimization studies, network cost benefit analysis, system design, system engineering. MPB can provide an unbiased third party opinion on the "best" network solution. MPB also provides system testing, installation and commissioning, as well as user training in support of its product offerings. The Company reinvests approximately 20% of its sales each year into internal R&D.