Magna-Power Hosts United States Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. for Flemington Factory Tour
United States Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. of New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District visited Magna-Power Electronics on Thursday for a policy briefing and a tour of the company's Flemington factory. Magna-Power designs and builds programmable DC power supplies, from 1.5 kW to more than 10 MW, that power particle accelerators, semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace research and production, laser defense systems, and electric vehicle production lines around the world.
Joining them were Andrew Silberstein and David Shapiro, executive director and chief counsel of the U.S. Investment Accelerator, along with leaders of the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce, and Hunterdon County and Raritan Township governments.
The briefing that opened the visit covered the investments behind the company's growth: a complete overhaul of its test department to support larger products and test automation, anchored by a new 1 MW closed-loop water chiller system, along with new production machinery across the plant. Public programs have stretched some direct investments by the company. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority's Manufacturing Voucher Program offset part of the machinery cost, including the new press brake and an upgraded selective solder process, and the federal restoration of full first-year expensing of domestic R&D, with 100 percent bonus depreciation, expanded the company's research program.
"Restoring full domestic R&D expensing changed our investment math overnight. Dollars that would have sat as deferred deductions now buy engineers and test equipment in New Jersey. It is the strongest signal Washington has sent our industry in decades, and we answered it the way Congress hoped: with more American-designed, American-built products," said Adam Pitel, Chief Executive Officer, Magna-Power Electronics.
Chief Technology Officer Dr. Grant Pitel and founder Dr. Ira J. Pitel, recently elected to the National Academy of Engineering, led the tour, which followed a power supply through the factory: steel formed on the new press brake, transformers wound in the magnetics department, circuit boards assembled on two surface-mount lines, and finished units validated in the overhauled test department on an automated test platform. A 1 megawatt ML Series power supply stood staged in final assembly, and the route ended in the engineering office and prototype validation lab. At each stop, the visitors met the team members who run the process.
The tour showed first-hand the strategy Magna-Power uses to compete in a global market as a small business against far larger overseas manufacturers: vertical integration. Every step happens in Flemington, which keeps lead times short, quality under the company's own control, and intellectual property in the building. That approach has won national research work. In May, the University of Tennessee Space Institute selected Magna-Power to supply a 3 MW DC power system for a new hypersonic wind tunnel, and Los Alamos National Laboratory uses the company's DC power supplies in its Scorpius particle accelerator.
"What the Secretary and the Congressman saw today is America's manufacturing renaissance at work: steel formed, transformers wound, boards assembled, and software written, all under one roof in Flemington, powering laboratories and factories around the world," said Pitel.
Secretary Lutnick brought a gift: a piece of steel from the World Trade Center, presented in memory of his brother, Gary, one of the 658 Cantor Fitzgerald employees killed in the September 11 attacks. Lutnick led the firm then, and rebuilt it while directing more than $180 million to the victims' families.
The visit closed with a press event attended by over half the company. Secretary Lutnick started a "Magna-Power" chant, the team picked it up, and it grew into a chant of "U-S-A."
The briefing that opened the visit covered the investments behind the company's growth: a complete overhaul of its test department to support larger products and test automation, anchored by a new 1 MW closed-loop water chiller system, along with new production machinery across the plant. Public programs have help extend some direct investments by the company. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority's Manufacturing Voucher Program offset part of the machinery cost, including new sheet metal equipment and an advanced selective soldering process, and the federal restoration of full first-year expensing of domestic R&D, with 100 percent bonus depreciation, expanded the company's research program.
"Restoring full domestic R&D expensing changed our investment math overnight. Dollars that would have sat as deferred deductions now buy engineers and test equipment in New Jersey. It is the strongest signal Washington has sent our industry in decades, and we answered it the way Congress hoped: with more American-designed, American-built products," said Adam Pitel, Chief Executive Officer, Magna-Power Electronics.
Chief Technology Officer Dr. Grant Pitel and founder Dr. Ira J. Pitel, recently elected to the National Academy of Engineering, led the tour, which followed a power supply through the factory: steel formed on a new press brake, transformers wound in the magnetics department, circuit boards assembled on dual surface-mount lines, and finished units validated in the overhauled test department on an automated test platform. A multi-megawatt ML Series power supply system stood staged in final assembly, and the route ended in the engineering office and prototype validation lab. At each stop, the visitors met the team members who run the process.
The tour showed first-hand the strategy Magna-Power uses to compete in a global market as a small business against far larger overseas manufacturers: vertical integration. Every step happens in Flemington, which keeps lead times short, quality under the company's own control, and intellectual property in the building. That approach has won national research work. In May, the University of Tennessee Space Institute selected Magna-Power to supply a 3 MW DC power system for a new hypersonic wind tunnel, and Los Alamos National Laboratory uses the company's DC power supplies in its Scorpius particle accelerator.
"What the Secretary and the Congressman saw today is America's manufacturing renaissance at work: steel formed, transformers wound, boards assembled, and software written, all under one roof in Flemington, powering laboratories and factories around the world," said Pitel.
Secretary Lutnick brought a gift: a piece of steel from the World Trade Center, presented in memory of his brother, Gary, one of the 658 Cantor Fitzgerald employees killed in the September 11 attacks. Lutnick led the firm then, and rebuilt it while directing more than $180 million to the victims' families.
The visit closed with a press event attended by over half the company. Secretary Lutnick started a "Magna-Power" chant, the team picked it up, and it grew into a chant of "U-S-A."
About Magna-Power Electronics
Magna-Power Electronics is a leading manufacturer of high-quality programmable DC power supplies and electronic loads. With a commitment to innovation and excellence, Magna-Power has been serving a diverse range of industries since 1981. The company's products are renowned for their reliability, precision, and cutting-edge technology, making them the trusted choice of engineers, researchers, and professionals worldwide. Visit magna-power.com to explore the complete product lineup and discover how Magna-Power Electronics can power your innovation.
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