RECOM Outdoor 2-wAt the new headquarters in Gmunden, a vast open-plan space will be created, exceeding current needs, where students will collaborate on innovative ideas alongside energy industry experts. This aims to establish an electronics cluster with access to the company's state-of-the-art testing laboratory.
 
With its open doors to industry and research,
RECOM has developed a concept for its new headquarters in Gmunden that one might expect to find in Silicon Valley, California. "We offer a platform for innovation and communication within the energy sector," explains Karsten Bier, the company's managing partner, outlining the company's philosophy. The new building will create an open space of approximately 3,000 square meters, fostering a comprehensive understanding and communication of technology. Therefore, the doors of the testing and quality laboratories—representing an investment of approximately €2 million and including a state-of-the-art laboratory for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) research—are open not only to industrial clients but also to students and scientists from German and Austrian universities. The idea of ​​operating a small "RECOM campus" includes providing apartments for guests to better integrate them into the team. In addition, approximately 300 square meters of office space are available for lease by startups and cooperation partners to enhance information sharing.

RECOM Indoor 3-wOpen Architecture and State-of-the-art Building Control:
After years of rapid company growth, the need arose to substantially expand capabilities in all areas. The building's architecture and design not only had to create added value for employees but also symbolize the company's openness to clients and partners. Built almost energy neutral, it not only generates its own solar energy but also obtains energy for heating and cooling from a deep underground aquifer.
The building is also equipped with state-of-the-art communication, security, and lighting technology, with products and systems implemented almost exclusively from RECOM clients. "Technology meets Design…" says Bier. The company's visionary and innovative philosophy was expressed almost perfectly through the language of architecture and design.
 
In 25 years, from startup to global company
. "About 25 years ago, we developed the first DC/DC converter for the then-young mobile phone industry," recalls Horst H. Bier, the company's founder, about the early years in the basement of his house in Frankfurt. Just a few weeks after testing one of the first prototypes, the fledgling company received its first order to produce 8,000 units. From then on, the company experienced continuous growth. RECOM intensified its development activities starting in 2003 and expanded from Gmunden into the European, American, and Asian markets. Innovative and cutting-edge products for automation, energy, medical, and railway technology became the driving force behind the company's success – as did, more recently, LED drivers specially adapted for the lighting market. Today, the company has around 350 employees worldwide, of whom about 60 work at the new headquarters in Gmunden. The product portfolio currently covers more than 30,000 types, of which more than 2,500 are permanently available in the new computerized logistics center.

RECOM Karsten-Bier-wReliability First.
DC/DC converters are frequently implemented in critical positions within customer products, such as in the power supply for processors or for isolating individual switching modules, like between the control electronics and the interface. "Our goal: a zero percent failure rate," adds Karsten Bier, explaining the enormous effort his company has invested for years in everything related to functional reliability. A DC/DC converter failure often results in high costs for customers, and this is what must be avoided. Customer satisfaction is essential for the company's growth. RECOM customers are particularly loyal. "Those who have implemented our converter modules often go on to replace other products with ours," Bier says with pride. In the commercial electronics sector, reliability is paramount and must be integrated into the product itself. To this end, they have their own certified testing laboratory where HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Time) tests are performed. This is a key advantage over most competitors in the market. The result is reflected in the warranty period offered on RECOM products, which extends up to 7 years. For example, the LED lamp drivers are specified for a lifespan exceeding 70,000 hours, equivalent to 8 years of continuous use. Even higher values ​​are expected for the new hat profile rail power supplies available since early 2015, once the ongoing HALT testing is completed.

Future Outlook and Facts:
RECOM is working on a significant expansion of its product portfolio, particularly in AC/DC network modules and LED drivers, and aims to substantially increase its upper power limit, currently at 60 watts. To achieve this, it is pursuing a niche strategy, for example, through highly isolated power supplies for the medical technology sector.
In 2014, RECOM generated sales of approximately $50 million worldwide. The company currently employs around 350 people, of whom approximately 60 work in development, marketing, and administration at its headquarters in Gmunden. Customers can access local support centers located in Frankfurt, Milan, Moscow, London, New York, Singapore, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Approximately 9 million converters were produced in 2014. The company has two production facilities in Kaohsiung, Taiwan: a conventional factory for a wide variety of converters produced in small to medium volumes, and an SMT factory that operates almost entirely in a fully automated manner for select standardized products. The product range currently comprises approximately 30,000 different modules. Around 10 new product families are added annually.

RECOM Group of Companies Facts
: Sales volume: Approximately $50 million.
Employees: Approximately 350.
Main markets: Europe, North America, Asia.
Production volume: 9 million units.
Product range: Approximately 30,000.
Production innovation: Currently 10 new product families per year.