About Magna-Power

Powering innovation since 1981

1981

Founded

115

Employees

73,500

sq-ft USA Facility

10,000+

Customers

50,000+

Products Delivered

40+

Countries Served

Our Mission

To design and deliver rugged programmable power products, built in the USA to the highest quality standards through a vertically integrated manufacturing process.

Delivery of 1.5 MW Power Supply for NASA

Delivery of 1,500 kW programmable DC power supply system to NASA for future propulsion systems

Our Vision

What 40+ years of power electronics looks like

We build everything from 1.25 kW rack-mount units to 10+ MW systems out of our Flemington, NJ facility. Over 250,000 configurations, all designed, built, and tested under one roof. The result of four decades of focus and 100% organic development.

Our History

Magna-Power's Story: A Timeline of Innovation

From its beginnings as a research and development firm in a home basement to a vertically integrated global manufacturer, Magna-Power Electronics has been defined by key technological pivots, strategic manufacturing decisions, and a commitment to reinvestment.

Additional details can be found in: The History of Magna-Power Electronics, IEEE Industry Applications Magazine, Volume 23, Issue 1 (January 2017)

  1. From Basement R&D to Official Founding

    Throughout the 1970s, Dr. Ira J. Pitel builds his expertise in power electronics, working at pioneering companies like Lutron and GTE Sylvania while earning his Master's and Ph.D. degrees. After working at Bell Laboratories and Exxon Enterprises, he leverages his growing reputation and private consulting work to officially establish Magna-Power Electronics (MPE) in 1981. The new R&D company operates from the 1,100 sq. ft. basement of his home in Morristown, NJ, where he designs custom power supplies and magnetic components, famously using the family oven to bake transformers.

    Timeline 1981
  2. A Pivotal Grant and First Headquarters

    A Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a 5 kW solar inverter system provides the impetus for MPE to move into its first dedicated commercial facility in Whippany, NJ. Though the solar project itself did not continue, it was a critical turning point. It established a formal place of business and, most importantly, the AC-DC power supply and controllable load built to test the inverter became the foundational prototypes for MPE's future product lines.

    Story-Fig1
  3. Entry into the Power Supply Market

    MPE forms a manufacturing partnership called Powertron to manufacture and sell the PX Series, a 10 kW AC-DC power supply. In this partnership, MPE would engineer the products and the partner company would build the products. When a crucial, time-sensitive order for multiple units from IBM's personal computer division arises, Dr. Pitel takes on the production himself. This dissolves the partnership and firmly establishes MPE as a power supply manufacturer.

    Story-Fig3
  4. Gearing Up for Manufacturing

    To support its growing manufacturing operations, MPE relocates to a 6,000 sq. ft. factory in Boonton, NJ. The new space allows for a dedicated production line for its PX Series, a stockroom, and better facilities for in-house fabrication like welding and painting. While the company was building its standard product offerings, MPE's primary business remained contract R&D and custom manufacturing of its designs for specialized applications, including electrostatic precipitators and various power electronics for the US Air Force. This contract work provided the steady revenue needed to invest in the company's future as a product manufacturer.

  5. Computer Control and High-Power Focus

    During this pivotal period, MPE made major advances in both user control and power processing technology. MPE introduced its first computer interface, the external SBC488 control box. This external 1U add-on provided programmability over industry-standard RS232 and IEEE-488 (GPIB) interfaces, giving customers the ability to remotely control and monitor their power supplies for the first time. With much competition in the low-power space (1-10 kW) from EMI and Power Ten, a strategy was formed to start grabbing market-share from the top. MPE delivered its first 100 kW TQ Series, a product that utilized a phase-controlled SCR front end, into a medium-frequency link current-source inverter.

    Tq 3x2
  6. The IGBT Revolution and Current-Fed Topology

    MPE introduced a technological shift that would define its future products with the release of the rack-mount PQ Series. This was the company's first product built on modern Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) using a current-fed power processing topology. The high-performance, power-dense IGBT platform represented a major leap from older SCR-based designs and became the foundational building block for the next decade of product development, cementing MPE's reputation for innovation.

    Pq 3x2
  7. Modular Design and Strategic Partnerships

    MPE uses the PQ Series as a modular building block for new, higher-power product lines (SQ Series, MQ Series). To accelerate market penetration, MPE enters into a crucial Private Label agreement for American Reliance, Inc. (AMREL) and later Chroma ATE Inc. These partnerships allows MPE to focus its resources on R&D and manufacturing while the partners handles sales and marketing.

    Story-Timeline-2002
  8. Powering the Dreamliner

    MPE was approached by United Technologies (UTC) in 2003 to provide 400 kW power supplies for testing the Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s auxiliary equipment. MPE developed a high-power chopper and IGBT inverter front-end, creating a line of high-frequency switched-mode power supplies at 100 kW and 150 kW. Following joint research with Prasad Enjeti, Ph.D. of Texas A&M University, a product line of harmonic neutralizers was developed to reduce total harmonic distortion for higher-power systems to maintain AC power quality. The MT Series was released, becoming the highest-power standard product switch-mode supply on the market and was quickly adopted by aerospace companies worldwide.

    Story-Timeline-2003
  9. A New Home in Flemington, New Jersey

    Having outgrown its Boonton facilities, MPE purchases 7 acres of land and moves to a custom-built 27,500 sq. ft. manufacturing headquarters in Flemington, NJ. While the transition was challenging and caused initial production delays, it provided the necessary space and power infrastructure for future expansion.

    Story-Fig5
  10. Insourcing and High-Density Power

    During the economic recession, MPE seizes the opportunity to acquire manufacturing equipment at a low cost, beginning an aggressive push toward vertical integration by bringing sheet metal fabrication in-house. This strategy reduces costs, shortens lead times, and increases design flexibility. The company also releases the 2U XR Series, which sets a new industry benchmark for power density and marks the first product line not offered through private label partners.

    Xr 4x3
  11. Building the Magna-Power Brand

    MPE begins building its own direct sales representative network across the US and internationally under the Magna-Power brand. This shift away from private label dependency proves timely. Shortly after, AMETEK, Inc. acquires AMREL's power division, and MPE decides to end the private label relationship, having made inroads with its own channels. Responding to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, MPE develops its Photovoltaic Power Profile Emulation (PPPE) software, specifically targeting the growing solar inverter testing market, providing the industry's widest range of solar array emulators.

    Story-Timeline-2010

From startups to the world's largest companies

Thousands of companies in over 40 countries rely on Magna-Power to power their innovation, manufacturing, products, and research.

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Our Facilities

Advanced manufacturing under one roof

Company-owned, custom-designed 73,500 sq-ft facility housing Magna-Power's vertically integrated operations.

Magna-Power Headquarters

Headquarters

Flemington, New Jersey

39 Royal Road
Flemington, NJ 08822
United States of America

Get directions

Vertically Integrated USA Manufacturing

Magna-Power Electronics products are proudly made in the USA at the company's headquarters in Flemington, New Jersey. All engineering, manufacturing and North America product servicing is performed at the company's headquarters.

With significant investment in machinery, automation, and processes, Magna-Power utilizes vertical integration for complete control over quality, cost, and lead-time of its made-to-order products.

Research and development
Magnetics winding
Magnetic core punching and cutting
Full sheet metal operations
EDM and CNC machining
Cable harnessing
Powder coating
Air- and water-cooled heat sinks
SMT and through-hole PCB assembly
Final assembly, testing, and burn-in

Leadership

Meet Our Team

The people behind Magna-Power's continuous innovation in programmable power.

Our Culture

Great Team, Great Workplace

Every product that leaves our facility reflects the dedication, craftsmanship, and technical expertise of the Magna-Power team.

Magna-Power's Team

Like what we're doing? Learn about career opportunities.

Join our team to be part of a company committed to USA manufacturing that’s powering innovation worldwide.

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