From beginnings in a garage to a multi-divisional engineering organization,
VPI is an organic, Utah technology sector success story
Draper, UT – April 30, 2021 –The month of April 2021 marks the 25-year anniversary observance of corporate operations for VPI Technology Group™ (VPI). For the past 25 years, VPI has designed, prototyped, tested, and manufactured hundreds of technology products for a host of global clients—including many in the electronics industry.
It Started in a Garage
As a success story in the Utah technology sector, VPI got its start in a Pasadena, California garage and a first contract involving an educational outreach product for a joint initiative between The LEGO® Group and The Planetary Society called Red Rover Red Rover. A subsequent joint venture with the Utah-based Code Corporation, a leader in the barcode scanning arena, led to major growth. From these beginnings in robotics, camera, and imaging technologies, VPI grew from a couple of employees to a current staff of 90.
In 1996, VPI opened its first business offices in Logan, Utah on the campus of Utah State University while drawing graduates and students from USU’s Center for Self-Organizing Intelligent Systems. Eventually, VPI moved operations from Logan to Draper, Utah to draw on the greater Wasatch Front’s talent pool and expanded business operations infrastructure.
After exiting the joint venture with Code Corporation (who remains a VPI customer and valued partner to this day), VPI Technology Group relaunched itself and began its evolution into a multi-divisional organization consisting of VPI Engineering™
(engineering services), VPI Laboratories™ (regulatory testing and certification), and VPI Manufacturing™ (product manufacturing and fulfillment). The principal operational facilities for these three divisions remain located in Draper to this day.
A Major Win
A key part of VPI’s growth centers on its development of deep expertise in chemical and radiological detection technologies. This began with customer-facing work in 2002 to commercialize hand-held radiation detection products. As the customer’s business evolved, VPI subsequently acquired their key radiation and chemical detection technologies, setting the stage for a major US Federal Government contract win in 2016. The U.S. Army awarded VPI Technology Group a 10-year, $165.2 million contract to help the military branch develop a modernized, standardized handheld radiological detection system for the Department of Defense. VPI won this contract in the face of stiff competition from six other defense industry contractors. Volume production of the Radiological Detection System™ (RDS™) is expected to begin in the second half of 2021.
“VPI surmounted multiple technical and business challenges and complexities in delivering RDS,” said Kurt Olsen, vice president of business development for the VPI Engineering Division. “The design and development of this product line have shaped VPI’s evolution in ways that benefit our government and our commercial customers now and in the future.”
Making Our Customers Successful
“Throughout our first 25 years, we’ve consistently worked to make our customers succeed. This approach is at the core of VPI’s corporate mission and message,” said Jeremy Williams, chief executive officer of VPI Technology Group. “Through a broad spectrum of electrical, mechanical, and software engineering services, VPI’s dedicated teams come up with solutions, test and verify them, and finally manufacture them for our clients. Hard work, intelligent individuals, and collective work for our customers’ success is the recipe for success at VPI.”
Looking Ahead
“Having served hundreds of customers ranging from commercial electronics to
medical devices to government and military programs, VPI has built its business and reputation by putting problems in front of talented engineers who then come up with solutions,” said Gary Olsen, chief marketing officer for VPI Technology Group. “Our 25 years of success is really a tribute to our customers who have provided us the opportunity to become who we are and expand our efforts to build our future around their needs. We’re continually gratified by the opportunities they provide us.”