Flann Microwave
Flann Microwave is a UK family-owned designer and manufacturer of precision passive microwave and millimeter-wave waveguide components and antennas, covering 320 MHz to 1.1 THz, serving defence, telecommunications, space, metrology and research customers globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1956
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Flann Microwave does
Flann Microwave Ltd is a UK-based, family-owned designer and manufacturer of precision passive microwave and millimeter-wave waveguide components, sub-assemblies, calibration kits and test-and-measurement instruments, with coverage spanning 320 MHz to 1.1 THz. Founded in 1956 by Messrs Fleming and Mann and headquartered in a purpose-built factory in Bodmin, Cornwall since 1970, the company sells to defence, telecommunications, space, metrology and research customers — including NASA JPL, ESA/EUMETSAT, RAL Space, the UK Met Office, the National Physical Laboratory, Airbus Defence and Space and Goonhilly Earth Station — and has built spaceflight-qualified heritage on missions such as the NASA SWOT satellite and the ESA Metop-SG second-generation satellite constellation.
The core technology is precision electroformed and seamless passive waveguide construction, including rotary vane attenuators (world's first sub-millimetric WM570 RVA), electro-mechanical waveguide switches (industry's highest-frequency model at 330 GHz), thin-wall waveguide for satellite payloads, and a proprietary FSM-45 flange interface under consideration for the IEEE 1785.2 standard. The product portfolio covers the full range of waveguide components (adapters, bends, twists, filters, couplers, switches, attenuators, terminations, combiners, polarisers, OMTs, antennas, phase changers) plus flexible/formable waveguide and sub-millimeter waveguide to WM250 (1.1 THz). Recent product launches include the Dual Polarised Horn Series DP240/DP241 and a dedicated 5G/6G telecommunications product range.
Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of custom and catalogue waveguide components under a quote-based pricing model, supplemented by professional services including on-site calibration, verification, and custom sub-assembly consultancy. Go-to-market combines direct technical sales engineers, regional distributors (Step Electronics in Taiwan, D.S.P.M Telecomunicazioni in Italy) and international REPs/agents, with over 80% of revenue exported. Distribution relies heavily on industry events (IMS, European Microwave Week, Space Tech Expo, SATELLITE Conference) and a horizontal segmentation approach across five end-markets. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified via UKAS, a member of ADS Group and the Cornwall Manufacturing Group, and remains 100% family-owned with no disclosed external equity.
Flann Microwave firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Flann Microwave
- Legal name
- Flann Microwave Ltd
- Website
- https://flann.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1956
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Flann Microwave is a UK family-owned designer and manufacturer of precision passive microwave and millimeter-wave waveguide components and antennas, covering 320 MHz to 1.1 THz, serving defence, telecommunications, space, metrology and research customers globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Flann Microwave industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Waveguide Components
- NAICS
- Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Test & Measurement Equipment (Oscilloscopes, DAQ, signal analyzers, calibration benches) (IMAGAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Calibration Services & Standards (Calibration labs, reference standards, traceability services) (IMAGAFAH)
Keywords
Where Flann Microwave is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Flann Microwave business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Precision Waveguide Components: Design, manufacture and sale of precision passive microwave and millimeter-wave waveguide components including adapters, calibrations kits, flexible waveguide, polarisers, tees, combiners, filters, short circuits, tuners, antennas, couplers, loads, terminations, attenuators, OMTs, switches, and phase changers
- Custom Engineering Services: Engineering services including on-site validation, calibration and verification services, custom waveguide sub-assemblies and consultancy
- Calibration Services: Waveguide calibration service for test and measurement equipment
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Flann Microwave product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Flann Microwave designs, manufactures and sells precision passive microwave and millimeter-wave waveguide components, sub-assemblies, calibration kits, antennas and test & measurement instruments covering frequencies from 320 MHz to 1.1 THz. It also provides engineering services including on-site validation, calibration and verification of waveguide components, custom sub-assembly consultancy, and spaceflight-qualified hardware for defence, telecommunications, space, metrology and R&D customers.
Product overview
Flann Microwave is a market-leading designer and manufacturer of precision passive microwave and millimeter-wave waveguide components, sub-assemblies, calibration kits, and test & measurement instruments covering frequencies up to 1.1 THz. The product portfolio includes the complete range of waveguide components (adapters, bends, twists, filters, couplers, switches, attenuators, terminations, combiners, polarizers, OMTs, phase changers), antennas (horn antennas including dual-polarised horn series DP240/DP241), flexible/formable waveguide, sub-millimeter waveguide technology, calibration and verification kits, and spaceflight-qualified products. The company also offers engineering services including calibration, on-site validation, and custom waveguide sub-assembly consultancy. Core flagship products include the RVA (Rotary Vane Attenuator) series and the new high-frequency waveguide switches reaching 330 GHz.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Waveguide Components (Full Range) Precision passive microwave and millimeter-wave waveguide components covering frequencies to 1.1 THz, including adapters, bends, twists, straight sections, transitions, combiners, couplers, filters, diplexers, polarizers, OMTs, phase changers, switches, attenuators, and terminations.
- Calibration and Verification Kits Precision calibration and verification kits for waveguide test and measurement applications.
- Dual Polarised Horn Series DP240/DP241 Multioctave, coaxially fed, quadridged dual-polarised horn antennas covering 2 GHz to 50 GHz, with high isolation, low phase and amplitude imbalance, gain 8 to 18 dBi, and precision electroformed construction for very low cross polarisation.
- Antennas Horn antennas and antenna feed systems including linear, circular and dual polarisation options, high power phased array antennas and standard gain horns, with additive manufacturing available for high frequency corrugated horns.
- Attenuators (Variable / Programmable) High precision variable attenuators including rotary vane attenuators (RVAs) up to 500 GHz, programmable attenuators, Ethernet-controlled models, and brand-new programmable linear vane attenuators for high-frequency applications.
- Waveguide Switches Precision electro-mechanical waveguide switches spanning 33 GHz to 330 GHz, featuring stable performance across temperature extremes, non-contacting detent mechanism, high power, high isolation and low PIM. Spaceflight-qualified models available up to 220 GHz.
- Sub-millimeter Waveguide Sub-millimeter waveguide technology up to 1.1 THz (WM250), available in seamless precision waveguide up to 400 mm length, in thin or ultra-thin wall thickness, in copper or nickel with internal surface finish less than 0.2 µm Ra.
- Spaceflight Waveguide Products Space-qualified waveguide components and assemblies — including fixed attenuators, switches, thin-wall waveguide and complex assemblies — designed to withstand space environment conditions. Supplied to NASA JPL for SWOT and to ESA for Metop-SG satellites.
- Low-Cost Programmable Waveguide Attenuator Series 024 Low-cost programmable waveguide attenuator (Series 024), extending Flann's programmable attenuator family for cost-sensitive applications.
- Ethernet-Controlled Attenuators Ethernet-controlled waveguide attenuators with Power over Ethernet connectivity, built on the success of the RS485-controlled version.
- Waveguide Assemblies Custom waveguide assemblies combining multiple Flann components into application-specific sub-assemblies for defence, space, telecommunications and metrology customers.
- Waveguide Calibration Service On-site validation, calibration and verification services for waveguide components and test and measurement equipment, plus custom waveguide sub-assembly consultancy.
Quantifiable outcome
- Waveguide switch with 0.1 dB typical insertion loss (2.3% power loss) vs solid-state alternatives with 6 dB insertion loss (75% power loss)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Flann Microwave
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Flann Microwave technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Flann Microwave partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- RAL SpacecorePartnership on mm-wave receivers for Met-Op Second Generation satellites requiring V-band and W-band complex waveguide sections. Spaceflight qualification testing managed between Flann, RAL Space and Airbus. Ultra thin wall waveguide components successfully delivered and integrated.
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)coreSelected by NASA JPL in 2015 to provide critical Ka-band waveguide attenuators for the SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) satellite - the first Earth water monitoring satellite. Worked closely with JPL engineers to develop custom spaceflight hardware with two flight models installed on the satellite launched December 2022.
- Airbus Defence and SpacecoreSpaceflight qualification testing managed between Flann, RAL Space and Airbus for ESA/EUMETSAT Metop-SG satellites.
- Step ElectronicsminorDistributor for Taiwan representing Flann's world leading portfolio of passive waveguide components. Visited by Flann's Chairman Colleen Fleming.
- D.S.P.M Telecomunicazioni S.R.L.minorDistributor for Italy. Franco Mucchietto, Marco Pennacchi and Alberto Perinati visited Flann headquarters. Exhibited together at European Microwave Week 2022 on booth A9.
- Goonhilly Earth StationcoreCollaboration on satellite calibration. Flann retrofitted componentry including wideband diplexers to existing collapsible dish antenna feed. Complex waveguide switching matrix delivered for high accuracy rugged re-locatable Reference calibration facility.
- Cornwall Space ClustercoreMember of the Cornwall Space Cluster, a group of hardware suppliers (upstream) and data users (downstream) for spaceflight. Participation provides exhibition support at Space events, networking events, and collaboration opportunities.
- Met OfficecoreWorking with Met Office to provide key component for UK weather radar network upgrade (£10 million project). Supplied WG12 waveguide switches for 15 radar stations across UK, operating 24/7. Provided accelerated lifetime tests and technical advice.
- University of ExeterminorPartnership with University of Exeter as part of ground-breaking 5G research. Flann worked with PhD researcher Julia De. Project aimed to pave way for next generation of 5G mobile communications.
- Teddington SystemsminorPartnership of three Cornish companies securing £148,000 funding to develop miniaturised components for next generation of tiny communications satellites (nanosatellites and CubeSats).
- CleanEarth EnergyminorInstalled new Solar PV system at Flann's Bodmin facility with support from Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth Hub Net Zero Grant Scheme.
- National Physical Laboratory (NPL)coreNPL verified performance of FSM-45 flange, demonstrating consistently better performance than current IEEE 1785.2a flange. James Skinner from NPL presenting paper on subject at ARFTG conference.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Flann Microwave competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Rohde & Schwarz: Major T&M and aerospace/defence electronics supplier with broad microwave and mmWave portfolio. Adjacent competitor in the high-frequency T&M ecosystem where Flann's components are deployed.
- Keysight Technologies: Global leader in electronic test and measurement instrumentation. While not a direct waveguide-component competitor, Keysight's network analyzers and calibration kits directly use precision waveguide components of the type Flann manufactures, and they sit adjacent in the same T&M value chain.
- Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions: Supplier of aerospace and defence electronic systems including RF, microwave and millimeter-wave components for radar, EW and communications. Broader incumbent in the same end-markets Flann serves, with greater scale and program breadth.
- Pasternack (Infinite Electronics): Broad RF, microwave and millimeter-wave component catalogue distributor with thousands of standard parts including waveguide components. Competes with Flann in many of the same applications but via catalogue/standard parts rather than bespoke precision engineering.
- Anritsu: Japanese test and measurement equipment manufacturer with strong mmWave and waveguide calibration kit offerings. Operates adjacent to Flann in the T&M value chain and competes in some calibration kit categories.
Direct peers
- SAGE Millimeter: Supplier of millimeter-wave and microwave components including waveguide parts, antennas and assemblies up to 325 GHz. Direct competitor in precision passive waveguide space serving similar test, R&D and defence customers.
- QuinStar Technology: US-based specialist manufacturer of millimeter-wave and microwave components, sub-assemblies and test equipment. Closely comparable to Flann in precision waveguide component focus and defence/telecom/R&D end-markets.
- Advanced Microwave Inc. Designer and manufacturer of microwave and millimeter-wave components, antennas and subsystems for satellite, defence and commercial customers. Directly comparable precision passive waveguide offering.
- Millimeter Wave Products (Mi-Wave): Specialist in millimeter-wave components and test equipment up to 325 GHz+. Directly competes with Flann in precision waveguide, antennas, and instrumentation for defence, aerospace and research customers.
Regional players
- ETL Systems: UK-based manufacturer of RF distribution equipment for satellite communications, including waveguide-based switching matrices and feed systems. Comparable UK-rooted specialist serving SATCOM with overlapping customer base (e.g., Goonhilly).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Flann Microwave social profiles
Digital presenceFlann Microwave compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Flann Microwave financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Flann Microwave leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Flann Microwave funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Flann Microwave M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Flann Microwave
What does Flann Microwave do?
Flann Microwave designs, manufactures and sells precision passive microwave and millimeter-wave waveguide components, sub-assemblies, calibration kits, antennas and test & measurement instruments covering frequencies from 320 MHz to 1.1 THz. It also provides engineering services including on-site validation, calibration and verification of waveguide components, custom sub-assembly consultancy, and spaceflight-qualified hardware for defence, telecommunications, space, metrology and R&D customers.
Is Flann Microwave a public or private company?
Flann Microwave is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Flann Microwave founded?
Flann Microwave was founded in 1956. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Flann Microwave based?
Flann Microwave is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Flann Microwave make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Precision Waveguide Components are the primary driver. The others are custom Engineering Services and calibration Services.
Who are Flann Microwave's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Rohde & Schwarz, Keysight Technologies, Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions, Pasternack (Infinite Electronics) and Anritsu. Direct peers are SAGE Millimeter, QuinStar Technology, Advanced Microwave Inc. and Millimeter Wave Products (Mi-Wave). ETL Systems is listed as a regional player.
Does Flann Microwave have an API?
No public API is recorded for Flann Microwave.
What industry is Flann Microwave in?
Flann Microwave's product category is Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Waveguide Components. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAFAC, Test & Measurement Equipment (Oscilloscopes, DAQ, signal analyzers, calibration benches), with a secondary code of IMAGAFAH, Calibration Services & Standards (Calibration labs, reference standards, traceability services). Its NAICS code is 334515 and its SIC code is 3825.