Michell Instruments Celebrates 40 Years of Innovation
Rowley, MA: Precision sensor and instrumentation manufacturer, Michell Instruments, is celebrating 40 years of business this year. Established in 1974 in Cambridge, UK, the company started off in a small building with just a few employees but now has three manufacturing locations and several offices in ten countries.

In addition to manufacturing sensors and systems, Michell is a pioneer in the field of humidity calibration. In the 1980s, Michell worked closely with the National Physical Laboratory to develop the UK’s first humidity transfer standard. In 1986 Michell’s calibration laboratory became the world’s first accredited humidity calibration laboratory, with accreditation from the British Certification Service (a forerunner of UKAS – the United Kingdom Accreditation Service).

Another first for Michell was the development of the ‘dark spot’ technique to measure hydrocarbon dew point in natural gas. Hydrocarbon dew point is a key parameter in ensuring the quality of natural gas, especially at points of custody transfer. Michell worked closely with Shell Research to create the sensor, which was an adaption of their chilled mirror sensor used to measure water dew point. The resulting instrument, the Condumax, became the most reliable automatic method of measuring hydrocarbon dew point and was only superseded by the Condumax II which was introduced in 2006. Currently the majority of the online hydrocarbon dew-point analyzers installed around the world today are either the Condumax or Condumax II.

In the mid 1990s, Michell launched the world’s first two-wire dew-point transmitter, the Easidew Transmitter. This moisture sensor was both a highly accurate and reliable way to measure low dew points (i.e. trace moisture) and also very simple to use. This combination of accuracy and simplicity enabled moisture measurements to be incorporated into a wide range of processes across many industries, increasing efficiency and helping to reduce costs.

The world-wide growing awareness of the benefits of monitoring moisture for energy efficiency, safety and quality has continued to support Michell’s growth. In the 1990s, Michell expanded into Europe, opening offices in Germany and the Netherlands and eventually opening offices in France, China, Japan, Italy, the US, Middle East and Brazil. The manufacturing side of the company grew rapidly, to keep up with demand for its products, Michell opened the doors to its current headquarters located in Ely, Cambridgeshire.

Looking to the future, Michell is committed to introducing new sensing technologies to its impressive portfolio. Some of these technologies include tunable laser diode analyzers to measure moisture in natural gas, a new generation of quartz crystal microbalance sensor as well as new techniques for measuring oxygen and other gases. 		40 Years of Innovation
If you would like more information please contact:

Lindsay Zappala
Michell Instruments Inc.
319 Newburyport Turnpike
Suite 207
Rowley, MA 01969
Telephone 978-484-0005
lindsay.zappala@michell.com


Notes for Editors
About Michell Instruments

Established in 1974, the Michell Instruments Group of Companies brings more than 35 years of research, design and technology to the field of instrumentation and control. The current product range includes dew point transmitters, chilled mirror hygrometers, relative humidity (RH) sensors, hydrocarbon dew point analyzers, moisture in liquid analyzers and oxygen analyzers. The company serves industries as diverse as petrochemical and pharmaceutical to power generation and food processing.

Michell Instruments has three manufacturing locations: Made, The Netherlands; Lyon, France and Ely, UK. The company has an extensive network of factory trained application engineers, subsidiaries and distributors stretching across 56 countries.