Sep 14 2012
RFEL, who specialise in high performance electronic signal processing solutions, has been presented with The Queen's Award for Enterprise 2012 in the Innovation category, for its unique range of digital signal processing technologies.
It was presented by HM Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Major General Martin White CB CBE JP, on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen and is the second time that the company has won a coveted Queen's Award for Innovation, the first being in 2009.
The ceremony took place on Thursday 13th September at the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, and was attended by RFEL's staff and their partners, as well as many of its customers and suppliers. At the presentation ceremony, Dr. Alex Kuhrt, RFEL's CEO, was presented with a crystal bowl engraved with The Queen's Awards Emblem as a symbol of its success as well as a Grant of Appointment.
(Left to right) Dr. Kuhrt - RFEL's CEO, HM Lord-Lieutenant of the IOW, Eddy Fry - RFEL's CTO with the 2009 and 2012 crystal Award bowls
Dr. Kuhrt said, "The presentation ceremony gives us a perfect opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved in helping make RFEL a tremendously successful company. The last time we won a Queen's Award, it really helped raise our profile on the world stage. To be recognized for our innovation a second time is a great testament to the team of engineers who continually push the envelope to create signal processing solutions that are smaller, smarter and more flexible. As a result, we have companies coming to us to solve their problems when standard, off-the-shelf solutions just cannot deliver."
The Queen's Award for Enterprise is the UK's most prestigious Award for business performance and recognises and rewards outstanding achievement by UK companies. The Innovation category is for continuous innovation and development, sustained over not less than five years to levels that are outstanding for the size of a company's operations.
RFEL's award winning designs enable fast moving events occurring in the radio spectrum (even rapidly moving signals or fleeting, hopping signals) to be identified, acquired and then extracted for analysis. These designs are based on high performance, state-of-the-art, digital signal processing techniques and are incorporated into an increasing number of RFEL's own products as well as their customers' products.
RFEL's solutions have a variety of applications such as in the design of efficient wireless communication (satellite and terrestrial) networks, test and measurement instrumentation, homeland security surveillance systems, bespoke wideband receivers/transceivers and in systems to detect signals from fast moving missiles or other military threats.
RFEL is based on the Isle of Wight, started business in 2000 and now employs over 20 highly qualified engineers. It has been profitable for several years and has been steadily growing year on year both in revenue terms and head count. RFEL's customers are mainly 'Tier 1' companies in each of its main markets, including Selex, Thales, UK Ministry of Defence, Rheinmetall (Germany), ITT Exilis (USA), Agilent (Switzerland) and Anritsu, as well as many other major international clients.
Previous awards
2009 - Queens Award for Innovation
2008 - South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) Business Award for Innovation & Creativity
2006 - 'Embedded System Innovation of the Year' category in the 'Elektra' European Electronic Awards
2005 - Winner of the prestigious GSPx New Product Forum Award for the third year in a row
2003 - 'Start up of the Year' at the Elektra European Industry Awards.