A leading manufacturer, which has helped keep the wheels turning for vehicle manufacturers and service organisations, is celebrating its silver anniversary.

In July 1991, Alan Tong and Mike Green co-founded Pico Technology, originally set up as a software consultancy to develop data acquisition solutions, mostly for customers in the medical industry, it has since moved on to become a global force.

Today, Pico has more than 100 employees at its head office in Eaton Socon, at the Colmworth Business Park, and it boasts subsidiaries in the USA and Lithuania.

Managing director and owner Mr Tong said: “The company culture at Pico is key to our success.

“We treat customers as our friends, with free software upgrades and technical support for the lifetime of each product.

“Pico users are very loyal and have become strong advocates for our products amongst their colleagues. We also enjoy very low staff turnover – many of our employees have been at Pico for over a decade.”

More than two decades ago the company was operating from Hardwick, near Cambridge, and sold its first two digital converters, the ADC-10, for £49 each.

The ADC-10 was the world’s first PC Oscilloscope, and in the years that followed Pico notched up several more industry firsts, including the first oscilloscope with digital triggering and the first high-resolution oscilloscope.

In the same year, that the company was launched, the World Wide Web Consortium was founded by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN and Intel introduced the low-cost 486SX microprocessor, priced at $258.

Nowadays the company’s products also include data loggers and signal generators that are used by engineers, scientists and technicians around the globe.

Mr Tong added: “Pico Technology are serving engineers, scientists and technicians with affordable instruments that capture, display and analyse the signals in their world.

“We take advantage of the latest computing and communications standards and provide excellent value with all-inclusive product packages that don’t require users to purchase additional options or licenses.”

The company has three divisions producing test and measurement, automotive diagnostics and radio frequency test products that are sold worldwide.

As a part of the company’s 25th birthday celebrations the mayor of St Neots Councillor Derek Giles was invited to meet employees and enjoy a tour of its base.