About REF TEK
The REF TEK journey began when it was founded by Paul Passmore in 1975 as Refraction Technology Inc. to produce quality, niche seismic monitoring products for the land, marine and oil exploration markets. In 2012, the REF TEK brand was acquired by Trimble Navigation. In 2020, it returned to its engineering/customer service roots when it was purchased by Reftek Systems Inc.
Our Leadership Team
Meet the Team
The REF TEK team encompasses decades of experience in designing and supporting seismic monitoring systems for every part of the world and every environmental challenge. Each one of them brings engineering insight, in the field practicality and commitment to customer success.
1981
REF TEK supplied a digital telemetry system to the University of California, San Diego for use in the ANZA area. The network was the first digital telemetry system in the USA and is successfully operating to this day.
1984
IRIS (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology) was formed as a consortium of more than 110 American Universities. IRIS focuses on the Global Seismological Network (GSN) and the Program for Array Seismic Studies of the Continental Lithosphere (PASSCAL). PASSCAL issued a competitive bid for stations for the purpose of recording reflection & refraction and passive broadband data for elucidation of the crust down to the mantle. PASSCAL chose the REF TEK design approach.
1988
REF TEK delivered the first portable digital acquisition stations to IRIS under the PASSCAL program. More than 1000 units have been supplied to IRIS since then.
1991
REF TEK re-designed a Hewlett-Packard 24-bit digitizer to provide a high resolution digitizing and recording system to the International Deployment of Accelerometers (IDA) program of the University of California, San Diego. IDA is now part of the IRIS GSN program. Approximately 30% of all GSM stations use REF TEK instruments.
2003
The 130S Broadband Seismic Recorder is introduced as the 3rd generation of REF TEK digitizers
2008
Refraction Technology Inc. and the REF TEK brand are acquired by Trimble Inc.
2013
REF TEK completes the structural monitoring contract for the Aswan Dam in Egypt. A comprehensive and flexible approach was required for incorporating the Old Dam and the new High Dam systems into one seamless approach.
2013
Introduction of the MRF format, used in the 130-REN Rapid Event Notification system installed across China.
2014
India Meteorological Department (IMD) contracts with REF TEK to provide the backbone of its Earthquake Early Warning System.
2014
REF TEK Introduces the Kestrel Integrated High Resolution SeismoGeodetic system with GNSS Receiver and Internal Accelerometer, with RTX Enabled.
2017
REF TEK adds the 9 channel 130-SMHR to its structural monitoring product line.
2019
REF TEK introduces the Wrangler, a portable high-resolution seismic recorder to replace the 130S 3rd Generation Recorder.
2020
The REF TEK brand is acquired by Reftek Systems Inc. and manufacturing is moved to Dartmouth, NS Canada.
What comes next?
Reftek Systems Inc. is excited to bring its experience in the field and in extreme environments to the R&D table. Look for new influences as new products are rolled out!
Over 7,000 REF TEK instruments are deployed globally for:
- 2-D and 3-D reflection
- Earthquake aftershock recording
- Earthquake Early Warning Systems (EEW)
- Hazard Mitigation
- Injected oil & gas well monitoring
- Mining exploration using IP, MT, EM, SCAMT techniques
- Passive broadband tomography
- Passive broadband imaging
- Passive short-period imaging
- Portable background Noise Surveys
- Portable earthquake monitoring
- Oil Field VSP Recording
- Structural Monitoring
- Telemetry earthquake monitoring
- Telemetry verification monitoring
- Wide angle reflection
- Wide angle refraction
