Mikros Technologies Thrives in Claremont

From left: Brian Locke, Jesse McGowan and Drew Matter. Photo by Matthew J. Mowry.

While Hanover and Lebanon are well known tech hubs, Mikros Technologies is proving that tech can thrive in Claremont.

Founded by Javier Valenzuela in 1991, Mikros manufactured products for micro-jetting applications. But, in 2014, the company developed new microchanneled cooling technology for electronics, which is now the company’s number one seller.

As data centers, LEDs, electric vehicles, thermoelectric and other tech has become ubiquitous, the need to cool these products has also grown.

Valenzuela founded the company to commercialize technology developed for NASA to control heat aboard the space station Freedom, say company officials. Since then, Mikros Technologies has produced more than 200 million custom-contoured nozzles.

Given how the new product line accounts for a majority of sales, Jesse McGowan, vice president, says that makes the 28-year-old company feel like a startup again.

“We pride ourselves in being a strong development partner,” says Drew Matter, product development manager, explaining Mikros is tapped by companies to develop products that may not be available for years. Matter adds their technology “is going into some of the most forward-thinking products in the world. …We empower innovation.”

Since 2014, the workforce has grown from 25 to 53 and, in 2016, Mikros acquired a second building in Claremont that has become its 26,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing facility. The original headquarters houses its R&D activities.

Being in Claremont is strategic. While Mikros started in the Lebanon tech mecca, it moved to Claremont in 2002 because it has the least seismic activity in the region. (The manufacturing process is sensitive to vibrations.) McGowan adds they also like Claremont because it can provide the talent it needs. “Claremont has a wealth of people with metal fabrication skills.

This was called precision valley a long time ago for good reason,” he says. For more information, visit mikrostechnologies.com.