Bird Technologies specialization in radio frequency leads to market leadership

Source: Technology Exec

Date :09/01/2008 03:49:02

Product innovation and investment in business improvement help keep Bird Technologies at the forefront of its market. Exec talks to Ed Bartos.

Written by Ruari McCallion and Produced by Pat Harlow

Bird Technologies, which is based in Solon, near Cleveland, Ohio, describes itself as a ‘global, innovative supplier of RF products, systems, services and educational solutions’. The global element is easy to prove: something around 44 percent of its output from its five locations is earmarked for international markets. The leading destination is the Far East, followed by Europe and then Latin America. The mix reflects the company’s extensive and adaptable product range.

“Wireless and broadcasting equipment are strong for us in the Far East. Europe has a good mixture of that and public safety products. Our major market is the United States, for which we have been busy supplying public safety and wireless equipment,” says Ed Bartos, Operations Director.

It’s worth a moment to define what Bird means by its various descriptions. ‘Public safety’ is communications equipment for police, fire service and emergency medical use; ‘wireless’ refers primarily to mobile communications, cellphones infrastructure in particular. ‘Broadcast’ is self-explanatory.

Bird doesn’t make the handsets for cellphones or public safety communications; its role is to provide the physical infrastructure that makes communications possible. And innovation has been a key element in Bird’s growth and success since it was founded, in 1942.

A broad range

“We began in the power measurement segment and have grown into various areas and markets,” says Bartos. “Our range now includes multicouplers, tower-top amplifiers, signal boosters, antennas, instrumentation and metering. We have about 12,000 models and manage around 35,000 part numbers, including approximately 9,000 purchased parts.”

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