Alker Celebrates 40 years of Fibre Optic Innovation

Alker was established in Nottingham in 1985 by award-winning inventor Alan Kershaw, originally providing cables for universities and FC/PC connectors for the growing telecoms industry.

A talented engineer, Alan identified an opportunity to utilise fibre optic cables by terminating patch cords used by BT, a solution still in service today.

Throughout the telecoms boom of the 1980s, Alker made significant contributions to the industry. As one of only three independent fibre optic termination houses in the UK, the company built a legacy of first-class solutions for organisations including:

• The General Electricity Company (GEC)
• GEC Marconi, the defence division of GEC, who engaged Alker to lead on Research & Development (R&D)

Alan’s son, Richard Kershaw, joined the business in the early 1990’s and together, father and son advanced fibre optic technology through ground-breaking solutions that challenged preconceived limitations.

Their pioneering approach led to even more specialised projects, including Alker’s appointment as Seiko’s sole UK distributor of fibre optics, making Alker the third-largest Seiko distributor in the world.

When the UK telecoms sector experienced a major stock market crash in 2001, Alker continued to successfully pivot towards more specialist fibre optic contracts and the company went on to win a variety of high-profile projects, such as:

1. Official supplier of attenuators for Cable & Wireless Plc
2. Provision of fibre optics for communication systems throughout the Channel Tunnel
3. Single-source manufacturer for all GEC Marconi manufacturing and supply
4. Collaboration with Edinburgh University and NASA on an environmental sensing and monitoring system
5. Flow-management sensing system development as part of R&D for Imperial College London

With more than 40 years’ experience, and under Richard’s direction, Alker’s artisan approach to problem-solving continues to define the company and remains central to the ethos of the business today.

Innovation is at the heart of Alker, demonstrated by its latest patented Splice Pipe enclosure and several pending patents for new development products, including fibre optic repolishing tools and hub-less drum in-field repair kits.

Every day at Alker is different.

On any given day, the team may be solving a single bespoke repair for a medical practitioner, helping extend the lifespan of otherwise costly equipment, or working closely with the MOD as a single-source supplier, making fibre optics suitable for harsh environments.

“If there’s a fibre optic problem that needs a solution – we know someone who can solve it” Richard Kershaw – Alker, Owner & Technical Director.