Twenty years have passed since the creation of FiberSensing, an INESC TEC spin-off

Two decades ago, “a group of visionary researchers” decided to embark on a business endeavour to introduce into the market the knowledge, experience and results of the work carried out in the development of fibre optic sensors for monitoring critical infrastructures. The result? The creation of FiberSensing, a spin-off of INESC TEC. Today, the company HBK FiberSensing is at the forefront of the development and supply of fibre optic measurement and monitoring systems for critical physical assets and is preparing to open new facilities in the Porto area.

A world leader in the supply of measurement and monitoring systems based on fibre optic Bragg networks technologies for critical physical assets like bridges, tunnels, generators or wind turbines, FiberSensing celebrates 20 years. Throughout this journey (initiated in April 2004), it was acquired by the German Hottinger Baldwin Messtechnik GmbH (HBM), a world reference in terms of testing and measurement; later, when HBM and Brüel & Kjær merged to form HBK – Hottinger Brüel & Kjær, it became HBK FiberSensing.

“Around 2004, INESC Norte and INESC Porto researchers had already created more than a dozen companies; however, the creation of FiberSensing was a step of greater daring. The fact that the company developed a deep-tech technology in optical laboratories, that several researchers and technical staff were part of the company, and that there was a significant inflow of majority risk capital contributed to the project’s significant and constant demand”, explained José Manuel Mendonça, former chairman of the Board of Directors of INESC TEC – who also acted as chairman of the Board of Directors of FiberSensing.

Luís Ferreira, one of the co-founders and current Director of the Optical Business of the company, recalled that “from the beginning, this was a time-consuming and challenging journey, but we were passionate about our commitment to the market”. “After the acquisition by HBM and the merger with Brüel & Kjær, in 2019, we also opened the doors of our Innovation Center – Spectris Innovation Center -, which allowed us to implement numerous shared services features and software development, but also to host development activities of the Malvern-Panalytical company (also part of the Spectris group, to which HBK belongs)”, mentioned Luís Ferreira, reinforcing the business’ evolution until this day.

But the journey does not stop there and HBK FiberSensing is preparing to open new facilities in the city of Porto – infrastructures that will be five times larger than the current ones. “We will expand the production of our current Optics lines and start a new production area for electric-based sensor lines, namely for measuring deformation, force and load”, mentioned the Director; he also claimed that all this growth throughout the years would be impossible without the team’s efforts, and the support of partners, investors and customers.

HBK FiberSensing currently welcomes close to 115 employees, 45 of whom are dedicated exclusively to the Optics business. It’s worth emphasising that company produces technologies for different market sectors, and diverse areas: aerospace energy, wind power, industry, defence, oil and gas, research centres, laboratories, and universities.