RFEL wins innovation award

RFEL, which specialises in electronic signal processing solutions, has been presented with The Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2012 in the Innovation category for its range of digital signal processing technologies. The company’s designs enable fast-moving events occurring in the radio spectrum to be identified, acquired and then extracted for analysis.

The award was presented by HM Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Major General Martin White CB CBE JP and is the second time that the company has won a Queen's Award for Innovation, the first being in 2009.

The ceremony took place on 13 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 users 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 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 recognised 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 a 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 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.