News

Advanced Power Conversion Solutions Emerges to Replace SBE

December 09, 2019 by Paul Shepard

Advanced Power Conversion Solutions (APCS), headquartered in Barre, Vermont, began operations on December 2, 2019. APCS is replacing SBE, Inc. which has ceased operations. As SBE ceases its operations, it will be leaving a significant backlog of business and the new company, led by the existing management team of SBE, has reached out with offers to take over that backlog of orders.

APCS will focus primarily on utilizing the Integrated Power Ring Technology approach to optimize customers power conversion applications.  However, the existing product lines of Pulse Power and AC Filtering will continue especially where these products bring added value to the customer application.

"After many years of stockholder financed losses, the Board of Directors has decided that the funding is just no longer available to continue the company as we know it.  SBE created a very large facility as part of the US Department of Energy grant in 2011.  Despite significant efforts, the company has not been able to create sufficient business volume to create monthly corporate profitability given the large overhead.  While great opportunity still exists, the period of time to germinate has just been too long for the stockholders to fund any longer," stated Ed Sawyer, President & CEO of APCS.

"Yet, there is a steady strong core business based on a unique and industry leading technology.  This business is profitable from a manufacturing and engineering services perspective and with the right go-forward overhead cost structure, the company can not only sustain but grow.

"While the stockholders have decided to let the dream of SBE go, the management team is not ready to do so.  And after 2 months of intense negotiations with the landlord of the building as well as the equipment and inventory finance companies, the management team of SBE has developed a plan to continue the technology design and manufacture of SBE products for our customers.

"This will be using the same trained people and same equipment as is the case today with a smaller building footprint, reduction of excess equipment, and a smaller overhead staff.  All with full license of SBE technology," Sawyer concluded.