The OIL enterprise now includes the following major components:
RBR – President Greg Johnson
RBR was started in 1973 and now employs over 20 people. RBR exports over 70% of its products through a global network of agents in over 17 countries. RBR is currently working on the next generation of software and hardware for oceanographic instruments, with improved performance, better battery life and larger memory capacity. The new instruments also offer considerable scope for system integration as OEM sensors. The platform provides for extension to new applications and products.
Visit the RBR website – Contact RBR
RBR Europe – Managing Director Philip Gibbs
This is the office of RBR that is run from Oxford in the UK and provides service to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It is seamlessly integrated with the RBR office in Ottawa and was established in 2007.
Visit the RBR Europe website – Contact RBR Europe
SpectraSense – President Bart Geleynse
Formed in 2010 to develop new optical sensors with an initial product of a high range turbidity sensor. The sensor may be combined with an integral wiper for protection against biofouling. It is also feasible to combine the sensor with fluorescent and nephelometric techniques to give a unique combination sensor without parallel in the industry.
SpectraSense also provides data hosting and system integration services using a wide range of sensor suppliers.
Visit the SpectraSense website – Contact SpectraSense
Oxford Blue Systems – Managing Director Philip Gibbs
This was established in 2012 to provide an independent sales channel for system integration and complementary products. It operates from the office of RBR UK, situated in Oxfordshire.
Visit website – Contact Oxford Blue Systems
OIL Workshop – Manager Pawel Lukaszek
This was established in 2010 to provide a rapid prototyping service and small production facility with the latest generation of NC equipment. Access this through the OIL office.
The Fresh Water Research Institute
Maintained on an island in Little Silver Lake Ontario, near the top of the Tay River watershed, this hectare site offers an ideal place for test of monitoring equipment and has seen the trials of nearly all the oceanographic and freshwater instruments made by RBR. Several experiments are running at any one time and the site is available for staff to use throughout the year for training and family recreation. Examples of online data from the site may be accessed through data.rbr-global.com/fwri/site1 and 1_little_silver_lane.remotedata.ca.