Maxwell Technologies is a developer and manufacturer of energy storage

Energy storage

Energy storage is accomplished by devices or physical media that store some form of energy to perform some useful operation at a later time. A device that stores energy is sometimes called an accumulator....

 and power delivery

Power delivery

Electricity delivery is the process that goes from generation of electricity in the power station to the use by the consumer.The main processes in power delivery are, by order:* Central generation* Transmission* Distribution* And retailing...

-related products.

History

The company was founded in 1965 as Maxwell Laboratories, originally as a government contractor, providing advanced physics, pulsed power, space effects analysis and other research and development services to the U.S. military and other government agencies. The company began conversion to commercial applications for its technologies and products in the early 1990s, and now generates all of its revenue from commercial sources. The company's strategy is to commercialize ultracapacitors, high voltage capacitors and microelectronic components and systems in selected markets. With 17.1 million common share

Share (finance)

A joint stock company divides its capital into units of equal denomination. Each unit is called a share. These units are offered for sale to raise capital. This is termed as issuing shares. A person who buys share/shares of the company is called a shareholder, and by acquiring share or shares in...

s outstanding, the company had a market capitalization

Market capitalization

Market capitalization is a measurement of the value of the ownership interest that shareholders hold in a business enterprise. It is equal to the share price times the number of shares outstanding of a publicly traded company...

 of more than $300 million as of June 1, 2006, according to the company.

Maxwell Energy Products, a division that included the Maxwell High Voltage Capacitor product line, was acquired in March 2000 by General Atomics

General Atomics

General Atomics is a nuclear physics and defense contractor headquartered in San Diego, California. General Atomics’ research into fission and fusion matured into competencies in related technologies, allowing the company to expand into other fields of research...

, eventually merging into General Atomics Electronic Systems, Inc. in 2003.

Main products

• BOOSTCAP — ultracapacitors for energy storage and delivery of rapid bursts of power for applications ranging from consumer and industrial electronics to hybrid electric buses, trucks and automobiles
• CONDIS — high voltage capacitors for electric utility switchgear
  Switchgear
  The term switchgear, used in association with the electric power system, or grid, refers to the combination of electrical disconnects, fuses and/or circuit breakers used to isolate electrical equipment. Switchgear is used both to de-energize equipment to allow work to be done and to clear faults...
  
  , capacitor voltage transformer
  Capacitor voltage transformer
  A capacitor voltage transformer , or capacitance coupled voltage transformer is a transformer used in power systems to step down extra high voltage signals and provide a low voltage signal, for measurement or to operate a protective relay...
  
  s (CVTs) and laboratory applications
• Microelectronics for space and military applications requiring high reliability in radiation-intense environments
• Power modules, memory modules, single-board computer
  Single-board computer
  A single-board computer is a complete computer built on a single circuit board, with microprocessor, memory, input/output and other features required of a functional computer. Unlike a typical personal computer, an SBC may not include slots into which accessory cards may be plugged...
  
  s or high-performance for aerospace applications

Facilities and employees

Headquarters and principal operations are currently located in San Diego, California

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

, with a Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

an base of operations in Rossens

Rossens, Fribourg

Rossens is a municipality in the district of Sarine in the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland.-External links:*...

, Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

. At present, the company employs approximately 250 people worldwide.