Ability Engineering Takes ‘A Quantum Leap’ Forward with SDA Support

With a whopping 70+ years under its belt, Ability Engineering Technology (AET) has proven its expertise in cryogenic and pressure systems design on a global scale. But things are about to get a little more exciting. Today, the South Holland-based company is stepping into one of the most transformative fields of our time, quantum computing.

Through support from the Southland Development Authority (SDA) and funding programs through the state of Illinois, AET is positioning itself to play a supporting role in Quantum’s future. It’s an incredibly timely venture because, in 2025, some of the world’s most advanced quantum computing research is happening right here in Chicago.

While most are still wrapping their heads around the excitement of a seemingly new sector, Eugene Botsoe, AET’s president, has long been ready for this pivotal moment.

"Quantum computing has been around for a long time,” he said. “But in the last few years, it has been gaining a lot of visibility and notoriety.”

The growing interest in quantum computing is obvious in the stock market. Companies like IonQ, D-Wave Quantum, and Rigetti Computing have seen obscenely massive moves. D-Wave Quantum's shares surged nearly 75% following their fourth-quarter 2024 results on March 13th. That was driven by a gaudy 502% year-over-year increase in bookings to $18.3 million. Unsurprisingly, IonQ’s stock price has also skyrocketed, moving from a low of $6.22 in August 2024 to as high as $54.74 in January 2025, as it too enjoys expanding its clientele.

But when AET first connected with the SDA, it wasn’t about quantum, it was about financial sustainability in an industry with razor-thin profit margins. "I got a visit here from Christopher Cooks,” Botsoe recalled. Cooks is Botsoe’s relationship manager with the SDA. His visit would have a lasting impact on AET’s financial state.

Through Illinois’ Advantage Illinois program, Cooks and the SDA helped AET secure lower interest rates on its financing. This move saved the company $100,000 per year in interest payments. The freed-up capital immediately allowed AET to invest in new equipment, workforce expansion, and, maybe most excitingly, the R&D needed to enter the quantum computing space.

“[That’s] approximately $100,000 of interest payments we [no longer] have to make every year. It was significant for us. It improved our cash immediately," Botsoe said. "In manufacturing, you don't always have very high margins. So $100,000 that you could just essentially get from lower interest payments is significant."

With much-needed financial breathing room, AET turned its attention to one of the biggest high-tech initiatives in Illinois history. That being the development of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, IQMP, on the South Side of Chicago. "We are close to the facility. We have the expertise in the design and fabrication of that type of equipment. And that's what we want to do, [to be] able to support that initiative. We are excited about the opportunity.”

Illinois is investing $500 million into quantum research. That sizable investment aims to position the state as a global leader in the field. AET has already begun discussions with PsiQuantum, IBM, and the U.S. Department of Energy, all key players in the quantum race. PsiQuantum, for example, is set to be the anchor tenant of the new 300,000-square-foot facility, which will house a fault-tolerant, million-qubit quantum computer. The computer would be one of the most ambitious quantum computing projects ever.

And with great ambition comes a need for great cryogenic cooling systems. Systems that reach temperatures near absolute zero, or -273°C. Luckily for Chicago’s quantum push, that’s the kind of extreme temperature control that Ability Engineering specializes in. Unlike classical computers that use electrical signals to process data, quantum computers rely on qubits. Qubits are extremely fragile and must be kept at ultra-low temperatures to maintain stability. "You use cryogenic cooling to achieve that. You typically end up building a cryogenic plant. And because of our background and expertise and the products we make, we are able to design and manufacture that type of product to support the operation [of such a plant].”

Botsoe says AET continues to expand in helium and hydrogen gas purification, as well. As the U.S. re-shores semiconductor production under the CHIPS Act, purified gases like argon and neon are becoming more and more important. But whether it's quantum, semiconductors, or even aerospace, AET is growing. And the SDA remains a committed partner.

”The SDA has been very good to us. As you guys have new programs, I look forward to getting those documents, reading them, and reaching back to you guys to say, hey, can you guys help here or help there? It’s been a good relationship,” said Botsoe.

About the Southland Development Authority (SDA)

The Southland Development Authority is a nonprofit business organization launched in 2019 by business, civic, and political leaders from around the Southland who recognize the potential of the region’s people, businesses, and real estate. Our mission is to bring the resources and capacity needed to achieve transformative, inclusive economic growth for the south suburbs with a focus on investments in the Southland’s communities, industry, housing, and workforce.