Bozeman high-tech firm gets $1.5 million defense contract

Scientific Materials Corp. http://www.scientificmaterials.com/ has signed a $1.5 million contract with the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command to continue working on technology to make radar systems more precise.

By KAYLEY MENDENHALL, Chronicle Staff Writer

"This is a result of about 12 years of joint research between Scientific Materials, from the materials aspect, and Montana State University, from the research aspect," said Ralph Hutcheson, CEO and president of the Bozeman-based laser component company.

The technology is called S2-Chip, which stands for Spatial-Spectral Coherent Holographic Integrating Processor. It uses a material made by his company and developed by the MSU spectrum lab to analyze high-bandwidth signals such as radar.

The spectrum lab, which is part of the physics department, will continue working as a subcontractor with Scientific Materials on this project for at least the next three years.

The contract could potentially last five years and total $16 million.

Hutcheson said funding for the second year is part of the defense budget making its way through Congress this fall. If all goes as planned, he expects to receive about $3.7 million per year for the last four years of the contract.

"It’s really great," said Cynthia Evans, acting director of the Gallatin Development Corp. "It really helps to solidify Bozeman’s position as a promising high-tech area."

Scientific Materials employs 23 people in Bozeman. Hutcheson said the company plans to hire two or three more this year and 14 next year to work on this contract.

"The first year of the program most of the money goes to MSU to continue their studies on the program and to put the thing together into a demonstratable system," Hutcheson explained.

"In year two and three, we’ll finish up the laboratory scale model and build the prototype unit. We will have a prototype by the end of year three," he said.

In the fourth and fifth years, Hutcheson said Scientific Materials will focus on building a production unit.

The company has been working to secure the contract for about six months.

"We actually have a signed contract on our hands," he said. "We’re ready to start work."

*******************************

Scientific Materials Corp.

310 Icepond Road

P.O. Box 786

Bozeman, Montana 59715

Phone: (406) 585-3772 Fax: (406) 585-8606

For Commercial Sales Contact:

Ralph L. Hutcheson

President

E-mail: [email protected]

For Research Contact:

Randy W. Equall

Director of Research

E-mail: [email protected]

http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2003/09/12/news/scimabzbigs.txt