Microwave Components
Microwave Components, Inc. (MCI) is a family-owned, US-based manufacturer of custom miniature air core inductors serving defense, aerospace, space, and test equipment OEMs with engineered-to-order RF and microwave components. Founded in 1978 and led by second-generation CEO Robin Nazarian, MCI sells through direct sales plus authorized distributors and international manufacturer representatives.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersDracut, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Microwave Components does
Microwave Components, Inc. (MCI) is a privately held, family-owned US manufacturer founded in 1978 in Dracut, Massachusetts, specializing in custom miniature electronic air core inductors (air coils) for RF and microwave applications. The company's core product is individually engineered high-Q air core inductors manufactured with fine wire sizes from 50 AWG to 28 AWG and inner diameters from 0.010 to 0.050 inches, configurable across wire types (gold, silver, copper, gold-plated copper, aluminum, and specific alloys), insulation, lead preparation, and bonding options. All units are designed to customer specifications in quantities ranging from 25 pieces to 100,000 pieces, and the company operates under a strict no-obsolescence policy that maintains supply of every part number for as long as raw materials remain available.
MCI serves a narrow set of high-reliability end markets: defense (electronic warfare, radar, ground communications), aerospace (missiles, data link communications), space (satellites), and test equipment (power amplifiers, attenuators, switches). The business holds ISO 9001:2015 registration (valid through May 9, 2027) and maintains Conflict Minerals Reporting Template compliance, both of which are baseline qualifications for defense and aerospace procurement. The company markets itself as veteran-owned and "Made in USA," and customers characterize MCI as building coils that other suppliers decline to build.
The business model is direct and channel-driven hybrid B2B hardware sales: quote-based custom manufacturing sold through direct phone/email engagement and a two-tier distribution network comprising authorized distributors (Microwave Components LLC and Richardson Electronics Ltd.) and regional manufacturer representatives covering New England, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Southern California, Israel, and Turkey. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; samples are available on request. MCI is led by second-generation CEO Robin Nazarian (daughter of founder Preston Smith, who previously served at M/A-COM and the US Air Force), with her brother Jeff Smith as Operations Manager; the company employs 11-50 people. Demand generation is supported through sustained advertising in industry publications such as Microwave Journal and its Aerospace & Defense and EW/RADAR/MILCOM supplements.
Microwave Components firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Microwave Components
- Legal name
- Microwave Components, Inc.
- Website
- https://mcicoils.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Microwave Components, Inc. (MCI) is a family-owned, US-based manufacturer of custom miniature air core inductors serving defense, aerospace, space, and test equipment OEMs with engineered-to-order RF and microwave components. Founded in 1978 and led by second-generation CEO Robin Nazarian, MCI sells through direct sales plus authorized distributors and international manufacturer representatives.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Microwave Components industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electronic Components Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Capacitor, Resistor, Coil, Transformer, and Other Inductor Manufacturing (334416)
- SIC
- Electronic Coils, Transformers & Other Inductors (3677)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Inductors & Coils (Power/RF/Chokes) (HDAHANAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Passive Components (Resistors, Capacitors, Inductors, Ferrites) (IMAGAJAA), Military Power Supplies, RF/Microwave Components & Ruggedized Electronics (IMABAGAJ)
Keywords
Where Microwave Components is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dracut
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Microwave Components business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Custom Air Core Inductor Sales: MCI generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of custom miniature electronic air core inductors. Products are available in quantities from 25 pieces to 100K pieces, suggesting both prototype/low-volume and moderate production runs. The company serves defense, aerospace, space, and test equipment markets with custom-engineered solutions.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels9 records
Marketing channels4 records
Microwave Components product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Microwave Components, Inc. (MCI) designs and manufactures custom miniature electronic air core inductors (air coils) for RF and microwave applications. Products are individually customized to customer specifications across wire types, gauges, lead configurations, and insulation, available in quantities from 25 pieces to 100,000 pieces. The inductors serve defense, aerospace, space, and test equipment markets with applications in electronic warfare, radar, missiles, satellite communications, power amplifiers, attenuators, and switches.
Product overview
Microwave Components, Inc. (MCI) offers a focused portfolio of custom miniature electronic air core inductors, including RF Inductors as the primary product line. All products are individually customized to customer specifications and are available in quantities from 25 pieces to 100K pieces, with various wire types (gold, silver, copper, gold plated copper, aluminum, and alloys) and configurations (insulated/bare, spaced/non-spaced, bonded/non-bonded, stripped/non-stripped, tinned/non-prepped leads). The products serve Defense, Aerospace, Space, and Test Equipment markets, with applications in Electronic Warfare, Radar, Ground Communications, Missiles, Data Link Communications, Satellite systems, Power Amplifiers, Attenuators, and Switches.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Miniature Electronic Air Core Inductors Custom-built miniature electronic air core inductors for RF and microwave applications, individually customized to customer specifications with configurable wire types (gold, silver, copper, gold plated copper, aluminum, alloys), gauges (50 AWG to 28 AWG), inner diameters (0.010 to 0.050 inches), and lead configurations (insulated or bare, spaced or non-spaced, bonded or non-bonded, stripped or non-stripped, tinned or non-prepped). Available in quantities from 25 pieces to 100,000 pieces. Targets defense, aerospace, space, and test equipment markets with applications in electronic warfare, radar, ground communications, missiles, data link communications, satellite systems, power amplifiers, attenuators, and switches.
- High Q RF Inductors High Q RF inductors featuring multi-octave performance, low loss, self-resonance, mechanical stability, and axial leads. Designed for microstrip, stripline, and lumped element circuits including filters, switches, amplifiers, attenuators, multipliers, and mixers in RF and microwave electronic systems.
Quantifiable outcome
- MCI has shipped over 5 million coils since inception
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Microwave Components
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Microwave Components technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Microwave Components partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- Richardson Electronics Ltd. (RELL)coreRichardson Electronics serves as a global distribution partner for MCI products. RELL is a major global distributor of electronic components, fine chemicals, and engineered solutions serving industrial, defense, and aerospace markets. This partnership expands MCI's global distribution reach.
- Microwave Components, LLC (MWC)coreRegional distributor based in Stuart, Florida (5635 SE Grouper Ave, Stuart, FL 34997-3103) serving the electronic components market. Main: (800) 282-4771.
- Advanced Technology Marketing, Inc. (ATM)secondaryManufacturer's representative covering New England region. Located at (978) 458-0200, [email protected].
- Advanced Technology Sales IncsecondaryManufacturer's representative covering Mid-Atlantic region. Located at (410) 561-4901, [email protected].
- Atlantic TechsecondaryManufacturer's representative covering Southeast region. Located at (410) 218-5935, [email protected].
- HyTech Associates, Inc.secondaryManufacturer's representative covering Southern California region. Located at (805) 529-5085, [email protected].
- ShirTechsecondaryManufacturer's representative covering Israel. Located at +972-3-9516495, [email protected].
- MICROTECH TURKEYsecondaryManufacturer's representative covering Turkey. Located at +90 312 999 72 36, [email protected].
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Microwave Components competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Coilcraft: Independent US-based inductor specialist offering standard and custom RF, power, and signal inductors. Most direct competitor to MCI in custom and RF inductor design, including hi-rel and defense applications.
- API Delevan: US inductor manufacturer focused on precision molded and conformal-coated inductors for aerospace, defense, and industrial applications. Closely overlaps with MCI's hi-rel inductor niche.
Others
- Pasternack (Infinite Electronics): Distributor and manufacturer of RF, microwave, and millimeterwave passive components including inductors. Overlaps with MCI in the RF/microwave supply chain serving defense and test equipment customers.
- MACOM Technology Solutions: RF, microwave, and millimeterwave semiconductor and component supplier historically descended from M/A-COM, where MCI's founder worked. Shares the same defense/aerospace customer base and RF inductor ecosystem as MCI.
Broad incumbents
- Bourns: US-based manufacturer of resistive products, circuit protection, and inductive components including RF and signal inductors. Competes with MCI for design-in slots in aerospace and defense electronics.
- TDK Corporation: Global electronic components giant with a comprehensive inductor and RF product portfolio. Serves automotive, industrial, communications, and aerospace markets and can out-compete MCI on volume and catalog breadth.
- Murata Manufacturing: Japanese passive-component leader with deep RF, microwave, and EMI filtering inductor offerings. Competes with MCI in communications, defense, and aerospace RF design wins through global scale.
- Vishay Intertechnology: Large global manufacturer of discrete semiconductors and passive components including a wide range of inductors. Active in military, aerospace, and hi-rel markets with much broader scale than MCI.
- Pulse Electronics (Yageo): Global manufacturer of inductors, transformers, and magnetics serving communications, computing, aerospace, and defense markets. Overlaps with MCI on RF/microwave and hi-rel magnetics.
- Würth Elektronik: Large German passive-component manufacturer with a broad inductor, transformer, and filter portfolio including RF and power lines. Competes with MCI across many of the same custom-engineered inductor opportunities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Microwave Components social profiles
Digital presenceMicrowave Components compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Microwave Components financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Microwave Components leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Microwave Components funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Microwave Components 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 Microwave Components
What does Microwave Components do?
Microwave Components, Inc. (MCI) designs and manufactures custom miniature electronic air core inductors (air coils) for RF and microwave applications. Products are individually customized to customer specifications across wire types, gauges, lead configurations, and insulation, available in quantities from 25 pieces to 100,000 pieces. The inductors serve defense, aerospace, space, and test equipment markets with applications in electronic warfare, radar, missiles, satellite communications, power amplifiers, attenuators, and switches.
Is Microwave Components a public or private company?
Microwave Components is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Microwave Components founded?
Microwave Components was founded in 1978. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Microwave Components based?
Microwave Components is headquartered in Dracut, United States, in the North America region.
How does Microwave Components make money?
One revenue line is on record: custom Air Core Inductor Sales.
Who are Microwave Components's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Coilcraft and API Delevan. Others are Pasternack (Infinite Electronics) and MACOM Technology Solutions. Broad incumbents are Bourns, TDK Corporation, Murata Manufacturing, Vishay Intertechnology, Pulse Electronics (Yageo) and Würth Elektronik.
Does Microwave Components have an API?
No public API is recorded for Microwave Components.
What industry is Microwave Components in?
Microwave Components's product category is Electronic Components Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHANAC, Inductors & Coils (Power/RF/Chokes), with a secondary code of IMAGAJAA, Passive Components (Resistors, Capacitors, Inductors, Ferrites). Its NAICS code is 334416 and its SIC code is 3677.