SOUTH HOLLAND, IL – Ability Engineering Technology, Inc. (AET) is officially joining The IQMP FaQtory as its second announced tenant.
Located at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP), The FaQtory will house quantum equipment and component manufacturers as part of The Bloch Quantum Tech Hub, a Chicago Quantum Exchange-led coalition focused on moving the U.S. quantum sector from laboratory development toward reliable, at-scale domestic manufacturing.
The initiative is supported in part by the U.S. Economic Development Administration Tech Hubs program, which awarded $30 million to The Bloch. The federal award unlocks additional commitments from the State of Illinois and private-sector partners, bringing the total investment in the initiative to nearly $55 million.
Solving Physical Hardware Bottlenecks
For AET, the fit is straightforward. Quantum processors require far more than advanced software and silicon. They depend on high-vacuum environments, custom cryogenic equipment, reliable gas-handling infrastructure, and specialized components that often do not exist as off-the-shelf products.
AET designs, builds, and tests that specialized hardware.
Our capabilities include custom cryostats, vacuum chambers, dewars, cold boxes, vacuum-jacketed piping, valve boxes, process skids, heat exchangers, helium recovery and gas purification systems, automated controls, and research-scale test fixtures.
“As we explored the emerging global quantum ecosystem, it became clear that the Chicago Quantum Exchange is a mission-critical hub connecting organizations that need local cryogenic expertise with our creative engineering team,” said Eugene Botsoe, President of Ability Engineering Technology. “Joining this community allows us to contribute directly to the Midwest quantum economy through on-site technical expertise, rapid prototyping, and workforce development.”
The On-Site Advantage
By establishing a satellite technical presence at The FaQtory, AET will provide IQMP tenants with on-site engineering consultation, rapid prototyping, equipment modification, troubleshooting, and field support.
When a system experiences a vacuum leak, an unexpected thermal load, or a fitting issue, resolving it through remote meetings and long shipping cycles can stall progress. Placing engineers alongside researchers and device developers allows problems to be identified and corrected earlier in the design cycle.
The location will support both AET-built systems and other specialized equipment when our engineering, fabrication, or troubleshooting experience can help improve overall IQMP readiness.
“Ability Engineering Technology brings decades of experience building specialized hardware, an expertise that will strengthen The Bloch Quantum and its IQMP-based FaQtory,” said David Awschalom, the University of Chicago’s Liew Family Professor of Quantum Engineering and Physics, the founding director of the CQE, and the principal investigator of The Bloch. “Scaling a quantum supply chain doesn’t mean starting entirely from scratch. Existing manufacturers like AET bring valuable knowledge and skills that the quantum supply chain needs. By bringing them together in The Bloch’s FaQtory, we improve development and design cycles, accelerate quantum commercialization, and bolster quantum economy growth.”
Backed by Regional Manufacturing Capacity
Along with its satellite presence at The FaQtory, AET is continuing to expand and modernize its primary 35,000-square-foot engineering and manufacturing facility in South Holland, Illinois.
The South Holland facility will provide the engineering, heavy fabrication, assembly, and testing capacity needed to support on-site development work and carry successful concepts into larger-scale production.
With nearly 80 years of experience supporting national laboratories, research institutions, aerospace programs, and industrial gas companies, AET is positioned to help solve the physical engineering challenges that come with scaling domestic quantum technology.
About Ability Engineering Technology, Inc.
Founded in 1947 and headquartered in South Holland, Illinois, Ability Engineering Technology, Inc. specializes in the design, engineering, fabrication, and testing of custom cryogenic, vacuum, and process systems for demanding scientific and industrial applications.
About The Bloch Quantum Tech Hub
Led by the Chicago Quantum Exchange, The Bloch Quantum Tech Hub is a U.S. Economic Development Administration-designated regional coalition working to strengthen the domestic quantum supply chain and accelerate the development, commercialization, and manufacturing of quantum technologies across the Midwest.
This project is supported by the U.S. Economic Development Administration under the Tech Hubs Program.
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