Westblom began his career as a development engineer at Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, followed by employment as a product engineer, bipolar IC for RIFA AB. He joined Ericsson Components AB, where he was given greater roles within the wafer fab set-up, particularly taking responsibility for the manufacturing and process development of silicon based ICs. Subsequent posts included: assistant general manager, Optoelectronics at Ericsson Microelectronics AB, manager concept development at Ericsson Optoelectronics AB and manager module development for Northlight Optronics AB. In 2004 he became COO of Sivers IMA AB before becoming president and CEO of the company in 2005.
MWJ: Sivers IMA has been manufacturing microwave products since 1951. Can you briefly outline the company’s development over that period?
OW: Just to give a brief potted history – Sivers Lab AB was founded in 1951 and at that time the company’s core products were waveguide related. IMA AB was founded in 1975 and its core products were microwave YIG filters and oscillators. The two companies merged at the beginning of the 1980s to become Sivers IMA AB. During the 1990s the company focused on telecommunication products but the subsequent decline in that industry lead us to concentrate on high performance oscillators and subsystems in the 2 to 25 GHz range. We are now moving to higher frequencies and focusing on producing products operating at 35 GHz and above. Also, one of the advantages of having been established for over 50 years is that customers tend to be comfortable working with a company that has such a long history and a proven track record.
MWJ: Over those 50 years or so, what are the major developments that have impacted on the microwave industry and shaped its development?
OW: Technologically the main developments have been in semiconductors, GaAs, ferrites and YIGs, along with ceramics, and more recently the emergence of MMICs. In engineering the change has basically been from trial and error to Computer Aided Engineering, Computer Aided Design and circuit and filter synthesis, while the market emphasis has moved away from the military in favour of Satcom to telecommunications.
MWJ: What are the advantages and disadvantages of being an independent company operating in the 21st century commercial marketplace?
OW: Being an independent company means that we are fast and agile and able to provide a quick response to customers. It also means that we are on our own when it comes breaking new ground technologically or when entering new markets.
MWJ: What would you say are Sivers IMA’s specific technological and commercial strengths?
OW: Technologically Sivers IMA is the complete supplier, from start to finish, from conception to the ready for use product. We deliver everything including prototype design manufacturing, from the drawing board, through the clean room, to final testing and verification. We produce what we develop, our doors are always open and we welcome feedback during product development and throughout the product lifecycle. Commercially the company’s main strengths are a short time to market, allied to fast response and continued technological support for the customer.
MWJ: In what sectors do your customers operate and what applications do they use your products for?
OW: The company’s main customers are OEMs but many operate in sectors that demand advanced equipment to meet demanding standards such as military and industrial applications and in harsh environments.
MWJ: How much emphasis does the company put on research and development?
OW: We value research and development greatly and carry out our own in house development with advanced software and instrumentation up to 50 GHz, expanding into the millimetre-wave region. Collaboration with universities is also very important to Sivers IMA and at the moment we are cooperating with three different universities including the world renowned microwave department of the Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden. In particular we participate in the university’s GHz centre that is a cluster cooperation between the microwave industry, Swedish and international government organisations and Chalmers University, which gives us access to leading researchers and scientists.
MWJ: Please explain the scope of this collaboration with the GigaHertz Centre at Chalmers University and the benefits it offers both parties.
OW: The relationship goes way back, even before the GHz centre was formed and the collaboration gives us access to an incomparable source of knowledge, which is totally new but based on experience. The GHz centre is the catalyst between researchers from both industry and the university for fundamental research. With common aims, we immediately have the strength afforded by having access to a vast number of experts in different fields – ‘knowledge on demand’ if you like. The environment of the GHz centre, where we have our own workplace, is very innovative, stimulating new developments and combining disciplines. All industry partners contribute their expertise and knowledge. For instance we have introduced a new versatile building block MMIC approach rather than having all parts integrated in one. Sivers IMA also brings expertise in integration and assembly, which is important when circuits are used outside the laboratory!
MWJ: How does offering customised products benefit Sivers IMA commercially and technologically?
OW: Basically we offer exactly what the customer needs and not just what he/she is able to find. Having the ability to customise also forges a tight bond between us and the customer, with the result that we become a partner and not just a supplier. Also, increasing customer demand means that we are able to hone the development process, from design to integration, through to assembly and testing. Also, the design of our broadband VCO family makes it very easy for us to customize them to specific customer needs, with a very short lead time.
MWJ: Explain the development of your new range of ultra wideband VCOs and the significance of the use of MMIC technology?
OW: The new development in semiconductor and circuit design technology offers two main advantages – a reduction in size and more uniform products – the use of MMIC technology significantly contributes to both. The advantage of uniform products is that it is less work for customers to integrate the VCOs into their systems.
MWJ: What particular features are customers demanding and where do you see the development of microwave sources heading in the near future?
OW: Phase noise is, and always will be, the measure by which products are judged – put simply the purity of the signal is the most important feature. For our frequency sources bandwidth is the significant factor that goes hand in hand with a general request for bandwidth and versatility. Frequency source stability, synthesis and interfacing to digital signal processing are developments that will be drivers for the future.
MWJ: In 2003 Sivers IMA refocused and expanded its portfolio to include solutions for the advanced instrument and military market. What were the drivers behind this decision and has it been successful?
OW: Actually it was the case of a refocusing on the company’s core competence and unique business. In the late 1990s virtually all microwave companies turned their focus towards the telecom market. The recipe was to take any microwave company, throw all diversified products overboard and go for one or other telecom product in the hope of being a supplier to one of the big players. It led to consolidation in the industry with the result that many small companies were absorbed or, even worse, disappeared. This continued until the industry finally sobered up and was forced to take stock at the beginning of the millennium.
Like many other companies Sivers IMA went through some hard times then but the amazing thing was that much of the core competence and products still remained and were prosperous, albeit on a small scale. By focusing on the healthy and unique products in the portfolio, and by expanding it with new developments, we have gone from a hard hit company to a profitable business with new exciting prospects to take it into even higher frequencies and new sectors.
MWJ: Sivers IMA is a Swedish company. Does this have any bearing on the geographical markets that you address?
OW: Sweden survives on its exports and, in fact, Sivers IMA exports almost 100 percent of its products. Most of our customers are distant but our products are suitable for air express and we deliver anywhere in the world within 48 hours. The markets we serve are predominantly North America and Europe because much of the microwave industry is based in those regions. Of course, we expect to see more global expansion in the future and we will put every effort into marketing our company and products in the emerging economies.
MWJ: What ambitions does Sivers IMA have as a company and what are its aims for the next five years?
OW: We have a growth plan, not just for the sake of it but to gain more momentum to be able to put new advanced products on the market. Within that business plan it is our aim to be a unique supplier, with products that customers cannot find elsewhere. The core of our business is to put advanced knowledge to work in hardware products and therefore transform low value components into high value end products. Of course, through that process we will eventually develop products that are suitable for a mass market or become commodities and as such we will be leaders and not just follow the mainstream – only dead fish do that!