Dehnel-Particle Accelerator Components and Engineering, Inc. (D-Pace)
D-Pace is a TRIUMF spin-off company that provides state-of-the-art engineering products and services to the particle accelerator industry. Its founder and president, Dr. Morgan Dehnel received his graduate training at TRIUMF. D-Pace specializes in complete beam line system designs, charged particle transport systems, as well as components for cyclotrons, ion implanters, and linear accelerators. The internationally recognized D-Pace hires out its highly knowledgeable and professional staff to work with engineers and managers of other companies, most notably in the semiconductor industry on ion implantation, and at institutes, such as the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research in Taiwan, on ion source and beam line technologies.
The years of close co-operation between TRIUMF and D-Pace took a major step forward in December 2001 when D-Pace licensed a group of cyclotron component technologies from TRIUMF. The company has since generated sales from the ion source technology it licensed from TRIUMF in Europe and Asia. Since the licensing relationship began, TRIUMF has provided assembly space for training D-Pace’s staff and has allowed D-Pace to subcontract TRIUMF when its specialized services are not available elsewhere in Western Canada. D-Pace worked with TRIUMF staff to document much of the lab’s know-how into manufacturing drawings and technical manuals, thus preserving valuable knowledge for training and future use.
With continuing encouragement and support from TRIUMF, D-Pace has grown into a successful business that has an impact on both the national and local economies. D-Pace has doubled its revenues in each of the past four years and now has customers from France, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Netherlands, and the United States. Moreover, Dr. Dehnel is a founding member of five non-profit organizations dedicated to improving the scientific, technological and business sectors in the Kootenay region in British Columbia, as well as supporting local schools’ science and technology programs through judging, donations, and lectures.
TRIUMF and D-Pace won the 2007 Synergy Award for Innovation for small- and medium-sized companies.