CML Microcircuits

CML Microcircuits is believed to be the oldest fabless semiconductor company in the UK.[1] Formed in December 1968, CML was created by George Gurry from a frequency detection switch company. The idea was to create single chip solutions rather than a ‘box' using several standard components. It was called Consumer Microcircuits Ltd then and it originally focused on possible supply of remote controls to the toy industry, with certain advances into technology that would be used in the same industry, for example, the logic circuit for generating cyclic signals.[2] Everyone came to know the company as CML so in 2002 the company was re-branded as CML Microcircuits. The offices were in London's Old Street until 1971 when the company moved to Essex and to the current location in Langford, Essex in 1999.

CML now provide solutions for the professional and industrial communications market rather than focus on the consumer market.

After the death of George Gurry in October 2013, the company continued to be managed by one of his son's, Mike Gurry until December 2016 when, as part of a Group reorganisation, Mark McCabe joined as Managing Director and Mike Gurry took up a Group responsibility for global operations and logistics alongside his brother, Chris.

CML’s first product was the FX101 frequency sensitivity switch using PMOS process. The company sold it for over 30 years, originally using Plessey wafers, then wafers from Hughes. It was mainly used in industrial control systems, although it was also used in Concorde's flight management system.[1]

Today, CML produces Modem IC's, Baseband processors, RF IC's and voice-processing semiconductors for a number of end-markets including wireless voice and data applications, Industrial Internet of Things and Satellite Communications.

CML’s baseband and modem devices are now built upon their proprietary technology called FirmASIC. The incorporation of FirmASIC® technology allows the product's function and feature set to be easily configured via special Function Image™ data files. These are uploaded during device initialisation, either automatically from an external EEPROM or via a host microcontroller over the built-in C-BUS serial interface.[3]

In June 2011, CML acquired the exclusive rights to the RALCWI low bit-rate vocoder products from Spirit Corp (Spirit), a Moscow based Software Company.
RALCWI is a low bit rate vocoder technology that facilitates the transmission and reception of highly compressed voice over inherently noisy narrowband radio channels.
In this area, RALCWI is positioned to address the high quantity/low cost, digital PMR/LMR markets.[4]

As a founding member of the dPMR MoU and a member of ETSI, CML is committed to remaining a central player in the evolution of digital radio standards and the provision of small, low-cost, low-power semiconductors to aid the deployment of all future digital communications products.[5]

• Official website