PWSF.OB Making NASA and NIST Technology Available for the Masses
Powersafe Technology Corporation recently entered a merger agreement with Amplification Technologies, and although it may not be a household name, Amplification’s photodetectors and optical devices have been known to the industry since 2000. They have done work and received research grants from NASA, NIST and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and have attracted nine PhDs to their staff. All these things have occurred in 7 short years of operation, and now - in potentially the biggest step yet - the company plans to make their products available to private industry.
It is anticipated that, by late 2008 or early 2009, Powersafe will begin generating revenue from the sales of their products, and by the year 2011, the company expects to be profitable. They anticipate that the next five years will show them generating over $80 million in annual revenues, which will translate into $30 million in pretax net income. Amplification’s photodetection devices are not just run-of-the-mill equipment, but state-of-the-art technology that has attracted the interest of more than a few companies.
The secret to their success was the invention of an extremely sensitive photodetector technology that has significant performance and cost advantages over traditional devices, and is positioned as the next-generation, solid state technology for low-level light detection. This solid state technology allows the photodetectors to generate exceptionally low internal noise while maintaining very high sensitivity and amplification gain. These devices are small, rugged and portable, and show no negative effects of exposure to magnetic fields. In addition they are easy to manufacture and can be readily integrated with other electronic devices.
The current market for photodetectors has been estimated at around $250 million a year, with continued growth projections. The company believes that, when it enters the market, it will make an immediate impact with its superior products and grab a sizable market share while at the same time accelerating the growth of that market. Potential uses for these devices are endless, but a few examples are radiation detectors, environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, drug development, telecommunications and defense. Once the private industry gets its hands on these products, more uses will surely generate.
