A Message from the President

Thank you for visiting our website which we are continuously improving and updating to be sure you find what you need quickly and easily. While the material contained herein is necessarily about products and applications, the people who have made it possible will not be described. However, I do wish to make special mention of two friends, Tom Smith (unfortunately, now incapacitated) and Bob Newton (recently retired), both of whom were here at the beginning. Without them, I would not be writing this today.

We organized Auburn in the late seventies as a contract research and development company, concentrating on creating novel measurement ideas. Over the years we were awarded numerous US and foreign patents for innovative technology (more than forty). One successful research project taught us that particles transfer electrical charge upon collision with another object, which can be measured as current. We were aware of the need for more sophisticated dust detection technology for large industrial dust collectors and we decided to pursue the opportunity. This led to the development of the first generally useful triboelectric particle detector and monitor. Triboflow, the first version, and its successor products have virtually permeated this niche market and more than twenty-five thousand Auburn “Tribo” units are in use around the world. Since the first unit was installed in 1980, in an experimental Wheelabrator baghouse in Lynn MA, we’ve enjoyed the process of creating new technology, especially the TRIBO.series, which is safe, reliable, affordable and making a meaningful contribution to maintaining a cleaner workplace environment. We have continued to innovate and improve the state-of-the-art of dust detection and we invite you to browse this website to learn more about what we have accomplished to date.

Thank you again for visiting; I hope you find these pages useful and informative.

Ron Dechene

About Ronald L. Dechene, President and Founder

Ron founded Auburn more than a quarter century ago when he led the team who introduced the first triboelectric (electrostatic) dust monitoring measurement system. Since then, more than thirty thousand (30,000) units have been sold. Triboelectric dust detection is an important technology to help reduce air pollution worldwide, and Auburn is still the leading innovator and producer of electronic dust leak detectors. Ron is responsible for all executive, managerial, operational, and research activities of the Company.

Prior to Auburn , Ron was the Executive Vice President of Ikor, Inc., a manufacturer of motor-control systems, and served as Chief Operating Officer until Ikor was sold. Preceding Ikor, he held new product development positions at the Medical Instrumentation Division of Beckman Instruments and LFE, Inc., a manufacturer of semiconductor process-control instrumentation, and was President of Services International, Inc., an international supplier of electronics and communications equipment and a subsidiary of Rule Industries, Inc.

Ron is the author of a number of technical papers on emissions control and has held more than forty United States and Foreign Patents. He has a BA degree from the University of Vermont and currently is a member of the Board of Advisors and Chair of the Executive Committee of the University of Vermont , College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. In addition to his UVM involvement, Ron is also active in community affairs, and has been Trustee and Treasurer of Shore Country Day School in Beverly , MA , where he spearheaded a successful multi-million dollar capital campaign.