Kingfisher International Pty Ltd is an Australian manufacturer of
fiber optic
An optical fiber, or optical fibre in Commonwealth English, is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a means to ...
test and measurement equipment, located in
Mulgrave, Victoria
Mulgrave is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 21 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District,fiber optic cabling and systems, and its fiber optic test equipment range includes such items as,
optical power meter An optical power meter (OPM) is a device used to measure the power in an optical signal. The term usually refers to a device for testing average power in fiber optic systems. Other general purpose light power measuring devices are usually called ra ...
s, optical light sources, optical loss test sets, optical test and inspection kits, variable optical attenuators, inspection
microscopes
A microscope () is a laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Microscopy is the science of investigating small objects and structures using a microscope. Microscopic means being invisibl ...
and various optical fault locators.
Background
The company was co-founded in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
in 1986. as an international electronics trading firm, by Rosmin Robertson (née Jaffer) and Bruce Robertson.
Bruce Robertson's technical involvement in fiber optics started 1980 - 1985, when he was a researcher at GEC's Hirst Research Centre in the UK, developing novel fiber optic cable designs, manufacturing processes, fiber optic sensors & instrumentation, and was awarded various patents.
To get Kingfisher started, Bruce developed the ground-breaking KI2000 Optical Light Source and KI020 Optical Talk Set.
In 1988, the business moved to a large garage, further contracts were won, and an Australian Federal R&D Grant was received for early development work on
optical power meter An optical power meter (OPM) is a device used to measure the power in an optical signal. The term usually refers to a device for testing average power in fiber optic systems. Other general purpose light power measuring devices are usually called ra ...
s, which culminated in the release of the KI6000 series power meters soon afterwards.
In 1991, Kingfisher had grown into its first factory in
Rowville
Rowville is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 27 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Knox local government area. Rowville recorded a population of 33,571 at the 2021 census.
R ...
. Kingfisher then located to 30 Rocco Drive, Scoresby 3179 from 2001 to May 2015, when it moved to 720 Springvale Road, Mulgrave Victoria 3170.
In 2005, the company had twenty-two employees. The company has always made most of its products in Australia.
Early Awards and recognition
Various industry recognitions include:
* 1993-7 Telecom Australia (now Telstra) Export Endorsement
* 1999 Dun & Bradstreet Export award
* 2002 Governor of the State of Victoria export award
* 2002 Australian exporter of the year national finalist
* 2005 State of Victoria Manufacturing Hall of Fame
* 2005 State of Victoria Photonics Network (VPN) Achievement Award
References
{{Reflist , refs =
{{cite web
, author = Ministry for manufacturing and export
, url = http://franklin.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/955cbeae7df9460dca256c8c00152d2b/fd9967407d628884ca25700000086c8e!OpenDocument
, archive-url = https://archive.today/20121127150246/http://franklin.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/955cbeae7df9460dca256c8c00152d2b/fd9967407d628884ca25700000086c8e!OpenDocument
, url-status = dead
, archive-date = November 27, 2012
, title = Media release: Two Scoresby manufacturers enter hall of fame.
, date = May 12, 2005
, publisher = Department of Premier and Cabinet, Victoria, Australia
, accessdate = 2012-06-09
{{cite web
, title = Kingfisher. Fiber optic instrument manufacturers
, url = http://www.kingfisherfiber.com/About-Us/Corporate-Profile.htm
, publisher = Kingfisher International
, quote = Our...factory is located in Scoresby, about 1 hour from Tullamarine airport.
, accessdate = 2012-06-10
, archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130907052128/http://www.kingfisherfiber.com/About-Us/Corporate-Profile.htm
, archive-date = 7 September 2013
, url-status = dead
{{cite web
, title = Kingfisher International world's first achievements
, url = http://www.kingfisherfiber.com/About-Us/History.htm
, publisher = Kingfisher International
, quote = 1991. Moved out of garage, into a small factory based in Rowville.
, accessdate = 2012-06-10
, archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130907052134/http://www.kingfisherfiber.com/About-Us/History.htm
, archive-date = 7 September 2013
, url-status = dead
{{cite news
, author = Garry Barker
, title = Kingfisher's vision finds global results. Business.
, date = July 28, 2007
, work =
The Age
''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...
, url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/kingfishers-vision-finds-global-results/2007/07/27/1185339259902.html
, accessdate = 2012-06-10
{{cite news
, title = Biography: Rosmin Robertson. Managing director, Kingfisher International
, date = May 2007
, publisher =
NICTA
NICTA (formerly named National ICT Australia Ltd) was Australia's Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Research Centre of Excellence and is now known as CSIRO's Data61. The term "Centre of Excellence" is common marketing terminology u ...
, url = http://www.nicta.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/9366/RosminBio.pdf
, accessdate = 2012-06-24
{{cite news
, title = Media Release: Victorian ICT company wins international achievement
, date = 10 March 2005
, publisher = Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Victoria
, url = http://franklin.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/35504bc71d3adebcca256cfc0082c2b8/bfae7fa4c4d8556bca256fc100155976
, accessdate = 2012-06-24
, archive-url = https://archive.today/20121127172247/http://franklin.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/35504bc71d3adebcca256cfc0082c2b8/bfae7fa4c4d8556bca256fc100155976
, archive-date = 2012-11-27
, url-status = dead