MaxOx

MaxOx is a weapon manufacturer. They're chasing that elusive military weapons contract but their weapons are generally used by criminals, which hurts their reputation. They build mostly kinetic weapons for ships (35mm Dredge Gun) as well as personal weapons: the MaxOx P4 (their attempt to rebuild the iconic Behring rifle as an energy weapon) is a rapid-cycle energy-based submachine-gun

History
Founded by Burl Hitchens, MaxOx initially manufactured lasers for medical purposes. Hitchens was born and raised on Charon III in 2747, fixing machinery and helping his parents who ran a hydroponics operation there.

First success
After being expelled from the UPARQ, Hitchens got his first successful job from an old physics professor on a research lab in Rhetor. This job gave him the opportunity to distinguish himself with breakthrough theories on laser manufacturing. After raising funds on his own, he staffed his own lab on Reisse and called his company MaxOx, referencing a "maximum oxygen" warning sensor he used to manufacture. After 6 years of silence, the company emerged with one of the most powerful and precise surgical lasers ever invented, which became very high on demand.

Project Vespa
This attracted the attention of the UEE government, and in 2778 officials asked for his help with a classified project, hoping to use his laser technology to build better weapons. Realizing denial would cause his assets to be seized, he agreed to help. This lead him to work on Project Vespa in a lab on Persei. During his time here, Hitchens went out of his way to delay the project without actually losing it. After years of minor progress the government cancelled his contract and hired a new team.

Aftermath of Messer
MaxOx went on to manufacture updated medical equipment to keep themselves in business. However, competition lead the company onto the verge of failing, until in 2792 the Messer government was overthrown. Because all former UEE weapon patents became public, other companies started using this to manufacture their own technology. Hutchens realized the only way to save his company was to jump in on this branch, so they started making laser weapons, the first being the AA-1. Hitchens believed his weapons should allow the people to defend themselves and so declined every offer to sell his weapons to the military.

After Hitchens' death, the executive board revised their stance to take on government contracts, but still associate their weapons with being for private citizens.