Minco Products
Encyclopedia
Minco is a multimillion-dollar privately owned company with 1,000 employees worldwide. Based in Fridley, Minnesota
, the company manufactures and sells, among other things, flexible printed circuit board and interconnects
, RTD based temperature sensors
and assemblies, flat flexible heater
for industrial, medical, aerospace and food service applications.
Minco specializes in customizing components for demanding applications and has manufacturing facilities in the United States, France and Morocco and sales and support offices in the United States, UK, Germany, France, and Singapore.
Minco's ThermofoilTM Heater Business Unit is the world's largest manufacturer of polyimide (KaptonTM) insulated etched foil heaters. They are generally used in applications where low weight, low profile and high energy efficiency, as well as precision conductive heat input are more critical than cost. One example of this would be Medical diagnostic equipment. They also offer transparent heaters, silicone rubber insulated heaters, high temperature mica insulated heaters and thick film heaters.
Minco's Flex Circuits Business Unit designs and manufactures custom flexible circuit
s (a.k.a. flex circuits) for high-end applications that require a high degree of control and traceability for use in critical medical and defense products. Minco offers both standard feature products and High Density Interconnect (HDI) products.
Minco's Sensors & Instruments Business Unit is the world's largest manufacturer of custom temperature elements and assemblies for the rotating equipment industry (large generators, turbines and motors). It also offers customized temperature and relative humidity
sensors and temperature transmitters for the petroleum
, medical equipment
, semiconductor equipment, industrial equipment and food service industries as well as high-end critical building automation and control
applications. It also provides both custom and standard signal processing and transmitting products along with temperature monitoring, control and alarm solutions.
products. In 1960 Minco developed the first Thermofoil heater using etch foils. That eventually led to the development of its etched foil flex circuit
products. Minco eventually developed signal transmitters to complement their RTD products.
Karl Schurr remained as company President until his death in 1999 at which time his son, Dana Schurr, assumed the role of President. In his role as President, Dana oversaw the expansion of Minco's sales offices into Singapore
, the UK and Germany
, the building of a manufacturing facility in Morocco
, a major reorganization of the company and the implementation of a new ERP system. In 2009 Dana Schurr relinquished the role of President. David Ring joined Minco in 2009 to serve as President.
Fridley, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,449 people, 11,328 households, and 7,317 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,701.3 people per square mile . There were 11,504 housing units at an average density of 1,132.1 per square mile...
, the company manufactures and sells, among other things, flexible printed circuit board and interconnects
Flexible electronics
Flexible electronics, also known as flex circuits, is a technology for assembling electronic circuits by mounting electronic devices on flexible plastic substrates, such as polyimide, PEEK or transparent conductive polyester film. Additionally, flex circuits can be screen printed silver circuits on...
, RTD based temperature sensors
Resistance thermometer
Resistance thermometers, also called resistance temperature detectors or resistive thermal devices , are sensors used to measure temperature by correlating the resistance of the RTD element with temperature. Most RTD elements consist of a length of fine coiled wire wrapped around a ceramic or glass...
and assemblies, flat flexible heater
Electric heating
Electric heating is any process in which electrical energy is converted to heat. Common applications include space heating, cooking, water heating and industrial processes. An electric heater is an electrical appliance that converts electrical energy into heat...
for industrial, medical, aerospace and food service applications.
Minco specializes in customizing components for demanding applications and has manufacturing facilities in the United States, France and Morocco and sales and support offices in the United States, UK, Germany, France, and Singapore.
Corporate divisions
The company's major product lines include its ThermofoilTM Flexible Heaters, its Temperature and Humidity Sensors, its Flexible Circuit Boards and Flexible Electrical Interconnects.Minco's ThermofoilTM Heater Business Unit is the world's largest manufacturer of polyimide (KaptonTM) insulated etched foil heaters. They are generally used in applications where low weight, low profile and high energy efficiency, as well as precision conductive heat input are more critical than cost. One example of this would be Medical diagnostic equipment. They also offer transparent heaters, silicone rubber insulated heaters, high temperature mica insulated heaters and thick film heaters.
Minco's Flex Circuits Business Unit designs and manufactures custom flexible circuit
Flexible circuit
The industry standard IPC-T-50 "Terms and Definitions for Printed Boards" defines a flexible circuit as:"A patterned arrangement of printed wiring utilizing flexible base material with or without flexible cover layers."...
s (a.k.a. flex circuits) for high-end applications that require a high degree of control and traceability for use in critical medical and defense products. Minco offers both standard feature products and High Density Interconnect (HDI) products.
Minco's Sensors & Instruments Business Unit is the world's largest manufacturer of custom temperature elements and assemblies for the rotating equipment industry (large generators, turbines and motors). It also offers customized temperature and relative humidity
Relative humidity
Relative humidity is a term used to describe the amount of water vapor in a mixture of air and water vapor. It is defined as the partial pressure of water vapor in the air-water mixture, given as a percentage of the saturated vapor pressure under those conditions...
sensors and temperature transmitters for the petroleum
Petroleum industry
The petroleum industry includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transporting , and marketing petroleum products. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and gasoline...
, medical equipment
Medical equipment
Medical equipment is designed to aid in the diagnosis, monitoring or treatment of medical conditions.-Types:There are several basic types:* Diagnostic equipment includes medical imaging machines, used to aid in diagnosis...
, semiconductor equipment, industrial equipment and food service industries as well as high-end critical building automation and control
Building automation
Building automation describes the functionality provided by the control system of a building. A building automation system is an example of a distributed control system...
applications. It also provides both custom and standard signal processing and transmitting products along with temperature monitoring, control and alarm solutions.
Company history
Minco Products was founded by Karl Schurr in 1956. It was started in his home where he made custom wire based electronic components as a contractor. This wire handling capability lead to the development of wire wound RTDResistance thermometer
Resistance thermometers, also called resistance temperature detectors or resistive thermal devices , are sensors used to measure temperature by correlating the resistance of the RTD element with temperature. Most RTD elements consist of a length of fine coiled wire wrapped around a ceramic or glass...
products. In 1960 Minco developed the first Thermofoil heater using etch foils. That eventually led to the development of its etched foil flex circuit
Flexible electronics
Flexible electronics, also known as flex circuits, is a technology for assembling electronic circuits by mounting electronic devices on flexible plastic substrates, such as polyimide, PEEK or transparent conductive polyester film. Additionally, flex circuits can be screen printed silver circuits on...
products. Minco eventually developed signal transmitters to complement their RTD products.
Karl Schurr remained as company President until his death in 1999 at which time his son, Dana Schurr, assumed the role of President. In his role as President, Dana oversaw the expansion of Minco's sales offices into Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, the UK and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the building of a manufacturing facility in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, a major reorganization of the company and the implementation of a new ERP system. In 2009 Dana Schurr relinquished the role of President. David Ring joined Minco in 2009 to serve as President.