Magna-Power

Magna-Power designs and manufactures robust programmable power products in the USA that set industry standards for quality, size, and control. The company’s experience in power electronics is reflected in its 1.25 kW to 2000 kW+ product line, quality service, and reputation for excellence. Today, you will find Magna-Power’s standard products at its thousands of customers worldwide, aiding in the manufacture of electric vehicles, simulating solar arrays for development of inverters, steering magnets for particle accelerators, powering radar systems, driving traction controllers for locomotive development, or at a wide range of Universities for cutting-edge energy research.

Beginnings

Magna-Power Electronics (MPE) was founded in 1981 with the intent of being a power electronics, lighting, and magnetics research and development (R&D) company.  The company and its founder’s career pivoted several times before settling into its niche of engineering, manufacturing, and selling high-power sources and loads. This article chronicles the milestones in the company’s history that has defined its eventual path to success.

The founder, Ira J. Pitel Ph.D., started the company to better leverage his education and skills from prior work. He received his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Rutgers New Brunswick campus in 1972. Afterwards, he worked one year for Lutron Electronics in Coopersburg, PA. At this time, the SCR was well established [1] and companies were actively integrating these devices into appliances such as lighting and ovens. The experience exposed Ira to power electronics and the new world of semiconductor controlled lighting.  He continued his work on lighting at his next job, GTE Sylvania in Williamsport, PA. There, he completed his masters degree at Bucknell University in 1975, and met Elva Joy Pitel, who also worked for the company. His next career move was going back to school to improve his professional credentials. Upon acceptance into Carnegie Mellon’s Ph.D. program, he hastily got married, packed his bags, and moved to Pittsburg, PA in 1976. Under the guidance of his advisor Sarosh Talukdar and mentor Peter Wood, he graduated in 1978. Shortly after, he landed his dream job at Bell Laboratories in Whippany, NJ, as technical member of staff, and moved back to his home state. 

Working at Magna-Power

Quality and development of Human Resources is strategic for Magna-Power, as we emphasize personnel selection and professional growth for the success of the company.
Magna-Power has a dynamic skilled team with high-level competence in a wide range of technological fields. Knowledge results from several different factors, such as working relationships, experience, continuous ambition to tackle new problems, personal ability to increase individual competencies, and integration among different high-tech disciplines.