In the developing world, many fear losing manual labor jobs to machines, but the Fourth Industrial Revolution is bringing a few unexpected benefits. One clear advantage is that starting a business is now cheaper and easier, thanks to small, modular microfactory setups. This is a stark contrast to the exorbitant costs once associated with building traditional factories. Even more surprising is the growing number of large manufacturing firms investing in modular microfactory technology to operate smaller units within larger facilities.

Speaking with numerous manufacturers this year, a noticeable shift has emerged. Executives are increasingly discussing how microfactory technology within their existing factories makes more sense than ever. There are several reasons for this. First, modular factories are cost-effective to purchase and install. They are also easier and cheaper to maintain. Additionally, their reduced carbon footprint is helping large manufacturers meet their sustainability goals.

According to the World Economic Forum, microfactories use significantly less water and electricity than traditional machines, while optimizing space and material use. The software for these systems is typically standardized, making operations, upgrades, and replacements straightforward. Microfactories can also be easily arranged into larger arrays, offering versatility, scalability, and customization.

Moreover, microfactories give both large and small manufacturers the ability to pivot rapidly, supporting both low- and high-volume production. For instance, Arrival, an electric vehicle company in the UK, uses microfactory technology, with the setup costing just five percent of a traditional factory’s price—reducing the cost from $1 billion to $50 million.

Despite these advancements, concerns about job losses due to technological development persist in developed countries. As reported by Ana Cooban for CNN in April, a survey by Oxford Economics and Adecco Group found that 40 percent of executives expect to cut their workforces due to AI, with less than half planning to reassign displaced workers.

In contrast, the World Economic Forum offers a more optimistic outlook, citing growing sectors like cybersecurity, data analytics, and climate change technologies. However, experts at Goldman Sachs predict the loss of 300 million jobs due to automation, according to CNN.

In Africa, microfactories are seen as a way to combat poverty in rural areas. Despite challenges including limited access and funding, AFRI.CAN, South Africa’s sole supplier of microfactories, has worked to make the technology more accessible across the continent. The company’s founder, Philip Jonker, conceived of the idea for microfactories while traveling through Zambia in 1999, driven by the need for processing equipment to prevent food wastage after harvest. Jonker wanted to develop a solution that could help relieve this problem. “[Africa] has an unbelievable resource in people who work hard and who want to [work], good quality soil, and water [that results in] the most incredible produce,” he says.

Microfactories provide rural Africans with the ability to process and store produce for longer, enabling them to sell locally instead of enduring arduous journeys to distant markets, often hundreds of kilometres away, carrying small bundles of sugarcane and other harvests over rough terrain for very little in return. In addition, many larger processing facilities are owned by foreign interests, which means that whatever is produced in such factories can only be bought at comparatively high prices on the local market, which excludes many from obtaining such food for basic survival.

“The vision is to establish a scattering of a million microfactories across Africa. It is spawning an economy by creating micro-economies in rural [areas],” Jonker continues, highlighting the importance of keeping wealth, in all its forms, within the region in which it is generated to cultivate true prosperity for the people of that area. And, while this low-tech concept was developed for rural regions, entrepreneurs in population-dense urban settings also benefit from low- and high-tech microfactory arrays as they take up far less space than cumbersome old-fashioned fabrication layouts. In the process, Jonker notes that communities of humans begin to gather again around such manufacturing outfits, creating new futures, learning from one another and connecting in the ways that we are meant to do.

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the vulnerabilities of centralized manufacturing. As Evan Spark-DePass notes in a 2020 article on the promise of microfactories in Africa, “The economic efficiencies of centralization are often in direct conflict with resilience. The more centralized the production, the more likely that a disruption or shock could significantly undermine a company’s core business and ability to reach consumers.” In this sense, microfactories may well be the answer to regaining the economic and manufacturing resilience the world is searching for. As with any big shift, however, to achieve this, change is needed.

Jonker also emphasizes the value of small enterprises serving local markets, which are more adaptable than large corporations that often buy out struggling mid-sized businesses. In rural regions, small manufacturing outfits can drive local economic growth, regardless of AI involvement.

This shift is already evident in consumer behavior. At a recent Chamber of Commerce meeting in New York, I learned that many consumers are moving away from big-brand stores in favor of small boutiques offering locally produced goods. As more people opt for private-label products over expensive luxury brands, smaller companies manufacturing on a small scale stand to benefit. Many professionals could pivot to micro-manufacturing, using their expertise to serve local markets. Ultimately, the rise of microfactories serves as a reminder that where there’s a will for positive change, there’s a way.

The post Manufacturing Reinvented<p class="company">The Promise of Microfactories</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

In our November 2024 issue, we shared the story of Franchino Mold & Engineering of Lansing, Michigan, which got its humble start in 1955 in a 20’ x 20’ garage owned by Richard Franchino. Today it’s an industry leader in the custom design and engineering of medium to large die cast dies and thermoplastic injection molds, serving manufacturing customers across the nation and around the globe in aerospace, construction, consumer goods, and other sectors.

A month earlier, in our October 2024 issue, we told you about Crystal Sensations of Markham, Ontario, whose beginnings go back to 1990 when company founder and owner Miles Bocknek, working out of his home, began marketing coffee table books to corporate clients in the Greater Toronto Area. Today, the company is a design studio and manufacturer specializing in corporate giftware and awards, using sophisticated subsurface 3D laser engraving technology to serve over 5,000 clients.

These stories and others like them are inspirational but raise the question: can their successes be replicated in the 21^st century, which saw a recession in 2008, two years of lockdowns, supply chain interruptions, and massive inflation?

We don’t think it is by any means easy to do, but we do wish to highlight Bathurst, New Brunswick’s ThermalWood Canada, featured in our December 2024 issue, which did beat the odds when it opened in 2008, “when there couldn’t have been a worse time to start a business,” as founder and co-owner Robert Lennon told us.

The business model Lennon and his brother-in-law, Pierre Friolet, had developed over three years involved providing a service for wood product manufacturers by thermally treating their hardwood lumber to create a stable, mold- and insect-resistant product suitable for external use. But during the recession, North American manufacturers were not interested, which forced ThermalWood to change its model, and both treat the wood and manufacture product—such as decking and siding—as well as shift the sales target to Europe.

Fast forward to 2020, when Lennon heard about the difficulty luthiers were experiencing in sourcing good quality black ebony wood prized for guitar necks. ThermalWood took advantage of the slowdown created by the pandemic to develop an alternative for ebony using maple, which, under the name Obsidian Ebony, has been industry-tested, gained favourable reviews, and opened a niche market in the music industry.

The outlook for small manufacturing entrepreneurs in 2025 and beyond
It could be said that for small manufacturing entrepreneurs these are “the best of times and the worst of times,” with failure rates up to 51 percent within the first five years of operation in both Canada and the U.S.

Both countries are dealing with sky-high inflation, tariffs and possible retaliatory tariffs, and supply chain interruptions. Added to that volatile mix are ongoing conflicts impacting the global economy, a rapidly changing climate, and the need to meet carbon emission reduction targets as per international agreements. One of those factors alone could be enough to shut down a business.

Yet there are lessons to be learned from the 49 percent who do succeed which are both inspirational and instructional, and as important now as they were in the past—lessons about controlled growth, market research, and a nimble response to changing market conditions.

Richard Franchino, for example, allowed his business to grow slowly, developing a solid local client base before expanding. Miles Bocknek knew he had a winning product as he had distributed the crystal awards to corporate clients who loved them but found shipping costs prohibitive. That experience gave him the confidence to invest his own money to acquire the technology to manufacture them. For three years, while Lennon developed ThermalWood Canada, he continued working in his previous job, not taking a salary from the new company, and when faced with roadblocks, he pivoted.

Not only is it possible for small manufacturing entrepreneurs to succeed, but given the geopolitical conditions North Americans face in the second quarter of the 21^st century, it is imperative for our nations that we become self-sufficient. At the same time, we need solutions to solve the climate crisis, and these two needs combined—self-sufficiency and environmental solutions—represent opportunities in the innovation economy.

But while entrepreneurs look to help solve these issues, who is helping them get started?

Where solutions incubate and hatch
According to the Business Development Bank of Canada, incubators play an important role and can support start-ups in various stages of development. With support through their first two years, start-ups have a better than average five-year success rate when they do fly solo.

Incubators often operate in cutting-edge, advanced technology sectors and may share space and logistical and technical resources, which enable fledgling companies to develop and test their offerings at a lower cost before starting production. There are also local economic development incubators that support a wider variety of businesses, since their focus is on job creation and regional revitalization.

We feature one such incubator (see Entering a New Energy Era) in our February 2025 issue of Business in Focus, and found that Gord More, Executive Director of the Southeast Techhub (SETH) in Estevan, Saskatchewan so insightful we wanted to hear more from him.

“If you look at our world—politically, socially, economically—you’ll see it is driven by innovation. If you look at ancient cultures, the Greeks and the Romans, you’ll see they too had innovative ideas and ways of doing things, and then they didn’t, and that’s when they stopped being leaders,” More says.

“To be successful in the current market, you need to be on top of innovation, but big corporations are slow and find it difficult to make changes. They are controlled by regulations, liabilities, and earning a profit for shareholders, so they are not willing to take a risk. This is why we need the innovators and the disruptors to be backed up and supported.”

Southeast Techhub (SETH) and the Innovation Centre for Energy Development (ICED)
SETH, which opened in May 2022, was created by the City of Estevan, in southeast Saskatchewan, with support from the provincial and federal governments. It is a registered, incorporated, non-profit organization that acts as a collaboration hub with a mission to inspire and nurture the growth of innovative and technology-based companies in the region, which will eventually lead to the manufacture of small and large products.

Currently, it is functioning in two ways, serving its biggest client, Estevan itself, with a major project, while also working with 20 small manufacturing entrepreneurs who are in varying stages of development, and who More has taken through a sequence of steps starting with an investigation to see if their project ideas would work in real-life situations.

He assists in developing a business plan, connects them with resources, explains what they need to know about patenting their idea as intellectual property, may refer them to the local college if there are skills they need, mentors them, and helps them understand financing.

Projects in advanced stages—with some even having a few customers—include a methane sensing drone, which is flying over oil fields in Saskatchewan and Alberta; a new type of water purification system, which tested successfully on the effluent from a meat packing plant and is now being built in Estevan, with several municipalities interested; and a new type of wind turbine. The latter’s prototype is complete, government funding is in place, and it is now in the applied research stage at a university which is building a life-size prototype to test.

Another project involves a software system currently under development by a Métis artist assisted by students in a computer science projects training program at Southeast College. The system will assist in the application of traditional beadwork patterns, which the artist learned from Elders and which can be used in the manufacture of various items. “I have been helping her to find a market and she recently did a presentation with some government and businesspeople in Saskatoon, and she was so happy,” says More.

Meanwhile, the community is using the tech incubator to find a solution to a serious problem it will face in five years, when the coal mines, Estevan’s economic driver for 150 years, will be forced to end production unless a use for coal other than as a fossil fuel can be found. As More explains, “Our coal is different from that found in other parts of the country. It is prehistoric peat that has been barely fossilized and still has its original organic structure. Under a microscope it has the same structure as graphite.”

Graphite is widely used in industrial lubricants, in the core of nuclear reactors, and in the rods to control the reaction. This is significant as there is great interest in the manufacture of small modular reactors (SMRs) for power generation, but there are hurdles to their manufacture, with China controlling 77 percent of the world’s graphite. Currently, SETH is working on a project to convert the coal to graphite with applied researchers at The George Washington University, and on another project with the University of Chicago to convert coal to green hydrogen which could then be used for powering agricultural equipment or drones.

Last year, SETH partnered with Southeast College’s Centre of Sustainable Innovation to create the Innovation Centre for Energy Development (ICED), “an ecosystem where applied research or product development projects could be completed.” This in turn will lead to projects being commercialized and manufactured, creating new industries and new opportunities for small entrepreneurs.

Included in the plans for a fully operational ICED are a hydrogen hub, a solar-powered data centre, an organic chemistry lab, and a microgrid that would allow energy projects to tie into other projects to mimic a real-world environment, in a climate that fluctuates from +40° C to -40° C. “But we need private investors to bring these projects to fruition,” says More. “We are receiving government funding, but private investors bring understanding and knowledge of the markets they work in, and we need that to make these projects successful.”

The rural mindset—innovation connection
People may think that all the disruption is taking place in large centres, but that is not the case. More points to a study conducted at Stanford University using AI to reinterpret congressional floor debates, major corporations’ quarterly reports, and sales reports over the last 50 years, which asked, ‘when was the first time this idea was shown; where did those ideas come from?’ “This showed that innovation doesn’t happen in the big urban areas and instead happens with the outsiders, the disruptors, with us on the outside, as we have to be innovative to survive.”

He describes the rural mindset—how a farmer, when faced with a malfunctioning piece of equipment at harvest time, will improvise a way to repair it rather than sacrifice a day’s work by taking it to the nearest centre hours away. Dr. Eric Grimson, More says, who hails from Estevan and is now a senior officer and faculty member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a recent guest speaker at a SETH event, “told us that if he had to choose between two students, one from an urban centre whose parents both had PhDs and another with the same test scores from a rural area, he would take the rural student. That kid grew up with challenges and is able to disrupt,” More shares, paraphrasing Dr. Grimson. “When you disrupt, people get mad at you, and you have to be willing to get smacked down and get back up when you fail or when what you created doesn’t work, and try again. That doesn’t always exist in the city, but that is everyday life in rural areas. It is how you survive,” he says.

“I think if we can get rural tech hubs and incubators going across North America, supporting small manufacturing entrepreneurs, it would really drive our economy forward.”

The post Made in North America<p class="company">Starting Small and Making It Big in Manufacturing</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Building on decades of experience—and backed by extensive research, development, and testing—Blackseries has made a name for itself around the world for its ability to bring all the comforts of home to the harshest and most remote locales. Mud, sand, sea, rocks, ruts; nothing can stand in the way of a Blackseries adventure!

Supported by a manufacturing footprint in Australia, China, and the U.S., and a dealer network of 65 dealers and counting on five continents, more than a hundred thousand Blackseries are taking people where they want to go—even if it is the road less traveled—to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Taking campers farther than ever before
Blackseries was born out of a passion for camping and the desire to design an RV that could withstand inclement weather and challenging terrain. Founded by CEO Hongwei (Jack) Qiu, an outdoors aficionado who has long held a love for camping and outdoor adventure, the company seeks to revolutionize camping culture around the world by taking people farther into nature than they have ever been capable of going.

The goal, according to Qiu, was to “develop a trailer that could go anywhere. A traditional RV needs to go to a campsite and plug in; you have neighbors, and you would be more stationary. But Blackseries started off-grid, so it enables customers to go somewhere beautiful: the mountains, the ocean—they can be completely off-grid.”

From the company’s founding in Australia in the mid-’90s through the 2000s, at which point it broke into the U.S. market, Qiu invested time and money into learning the ins and outs of RV manufacturing technology. He continued to refine his designs, a dedication to continuous improvement that continues to this day. Indeed, the Owner Development Program is a feedback loop that is regularly used to refine the design and performance of the company’s trailers by integrating improvements into the trailer designs to better adapt to off-road conditions with ease.

Today, there are several models available, including the HQ12, HQ15, HQ17, HQ19, HQ21 and the HQ21 Balcony, as well as toy haulers, HQ19T and HQ22T. The HQ19 is one of the brand’s best sellers and as Qiu notes, “I always take the HQ19 with me when I go camping with my wife.”

These homes away from home are just that; they offer the security and comfort of home from wherever adventure takes you. And they are tested in the real world, by putting the product to the test in some of the harshest conditions around the globe.

“We feel like the U.S. off-road community is growing very fast compared to the European market and Canadian market,” says Qui. “The Middle Eastern market is also important for us. In Australia, at least 30 percent of the RV market goes off-grid; I believe that could happen in the U.S. We just need to bring the price down.” Qiu thus plans to take advantage of the camping culture and the extensive camping infrastructure in the U.S., which includes a rich national parks system.

The promise of performance
Blackseries offer users a rugged, well-equipped design that is simple to operate. Well-appointed for off-grid activities thanks to carefully balanced weight and an articulating hitch—and customizable to meet personal preferences, including an Android-powered smart control system from which users can check tire pressure, water levels, and light controls from the palm of their hand—the features and performance of the equipment continue to expand and evolve.

Blackseries remains committed to its founding principles of innovation and evolution. The company continuously seeks ways to enhance its trailers by improving power recycling and storage systems, ensuring a reliable energy supply for greater comfort and performance. Additionally, it prioritizes sustainability features that not only elevate the customer experience but also minimize environmental impact.

“We started to research bigger power inverters that could take more appliances at the same time, making sure that it’s safe for the customer to use. Every year we introduce something better in terms of features to help customers enjoy more off-grid camping,” says Qiu, who notes that the power system can operate on battery or solar power.

“Our off-grid power system uses a 3,000-watt inverter to run everything,” he explains. “We are the first ones to do that, and we are still, to my knowledge, the only company that can do that.”

To facilitate this level of performance, Blackseries invests heavily in research and development, manufacturing, and real-world testing to ensure it is respected for its performance and longevity but also its economical price tag. This is why the company is often the first to market with new features and capabilities and why as a brand it continues to grow in popularity. Further, its tents and trailers are protected by a one-year manufacturer warranty, a five-year warranty for structural components, and a lifetime warranty on the chassis.

Offering peace of mind
Like the campers themselves, Blackseries employees also share a passion for camping, which enriches the company culture and the value customers derive from their service.

“We are a company that wants to do something different by bringing a new lifestyle of camping to our customers, so when our employees choose us, they already know about our brand, they already know about our company culture, and they love what they do,” says Qiu.

One of the advantages of employment with Blackseries is that “we offer employees free use of the campers so they can experience the product and give suggestions and advice when they come back. So, they understand our customers and know how they feel,” he says. “We have very strict quality control,” which includes vetting suppliers and inspecting components as well as the final assembled trailer, which is inspected off the line and prior to being shipped.

“In our manufacturing facilities in City of Industry, California, when the trailer leaves the assembly line, the quality control team will perform the first step of quality control, making sure all the gas and electric appliances work and making sure there are no problems,” Qiu explains.

While the state of the RV sector post-COVID has been marred by high interest rates, the market is returning to strength, and Qiu believes that Blackseries has good reason to be optimistic looking ahead.

“As the leader in the off-road RV market, we of course want to maintain this position because we are the first ones to do it, and we have had success in this area. So we are expanding and employing new elements in manufacturing, assembly, and quality controls,” with the larger goal of bringing more adventure tourists closer to nature.

Truly, wouldn’t we all rather be on a mountain top or a secluded beach, enjoying the spectacular beauty and power of nature while enjoying the comforts of home and connectivity to society—even if it feels like it is a world away.

The post A Camping Experience off the Beaten Path<p class="company">Blackseries</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

In recent years, the company has garnered a slew of celebrity endorsements, awards, and new hires. Marketing Director Donna Schmucker explains the company’s success: “Our products are made here in the U.S.A., so that’s a big feature our customers love,” she tells us. “We also have our own patented technology called TORSION-FLEX that creates a smoother ride and a more enjoyable towing experience.”

A world of hitches
TORSION-FLEX Technology uses rubber torsion bars as a suspension system while towing. This clever—and beautifully simple—solution absorbs inertia between the trailer and tow vehicle, enhances safety, and reduces jerking, creating a gentler ride.

While GEN-Y also sells hitch pins, tow hooks, flag poles, steps, running boards, ball mounts, and other components, trailer hitches remain the firm’s flagship offering. “Our hitches are what we’re most known for,” says Schmucker.

GEN-Y hitches include the MEGA-DUTY (with 10,000 to 32,000 pounds of towing capacity with multiple drop options) and The BOSS (which uses TORSION-FLEX technology and also offers 10,000 to 32,000 pounds of towing capacity). Other popular company wares include the SPARTAN Gooseneck hitch (another TORSION-Flex-equipped product with up to 30,000 pounds of towing capacity) and a bumper coupler called The Admiral.

Although 98 percent of GEN-Y’s product stock is made in-house, a few items come from outside suppliers. Almost all manufacturing, other than “various small parts and pieces that we’ve outsourced in the past,” is self-performed.

Indeed, the company recently consolidated its manufacturing and office staff into a single building in Nappanee and last year, management decided to bring the powder coating process in-house as well. “We’re in the process of finalizing a powder coating addition to our facility and we hope to have that up and running with new equipment in the next few months,” Schmucker says. A facility at another location manages the aluminum manufacturing operations.

As befits a company that makes a wide array of hitches, GEN-Y sells its products through multiple channels. “We go to market in several different ways,” says Schmucker. “We sell directly to wholesale distributors across America and Canada; we sell directly to consumers from our retail website; we sell through Amazon; and we also have a large international market. Australia is the fastest growing international market for us. We sell through Canada, Mexico, Chile, and the UK and are expanding every year in international markets.”

Creating opportunity
The company owes its existence to founder Carl Borkholder’s dissatisfaction with existing hitches during his previous career running a tree-trimming business. Borkholder wanted a towing hitch that was “adjustable, heavy-duty, and able to get the job done,” but was unimpressed with what was available on the market.

He began tinkering and experimenting in a quest for a stronger, better towing hitch. He welded and stacked receiver tubes, made further refinements, and developed a hitch named MEGA-DUTY that met his needs. Borkholder fitted his homemade hitch on his fleet of trucks, and it worked so well that, very quickly, requests for the product from friends, family, and colleagues began to pour in.

Sensing a business opportunity, Borkholder and a partner launched a hitch-making business in 2012. Initially based in Borkholder’s garage, the new firm was named GEN-Y as a reflection of the ages of the founders (Generation Y: people born from the early 1980s through to the late 1990s). Despite its excellent product line, the company was not an instant success. GEN-Y struggled for a time but began to take off thanks in part to Borkholder’s energetic promotional efforts on social media.

“He put the pedal to the metal with social media—sharing our products, taking videos, posting them,” recalls Schmucker. “He was passionate about posting on social media, and that’s what has led to a big part of our success today,”

Another canny strategy was to send products to influencers and businesspeople in the trucking world. This mission was a success, and now the GEN-Y website has an entire page of celebrities and firms who use and endorse its products. Their ranks include the Diesel Brothers from the acclaimed reality TV show about a truck restoration business; TFL Truck (videos and commentary about trucks and cars); Goonzquad (vehicle-related products); and Mr. Truck (truck and trailer reviews).

Other pro-GEN-Y influencers include the Cummins Cowgirl (Chloe Yonker, a high-profile female mechanic); SMG (CJ Dunlap, a social media star who often posts images of customized trucks); Truck Guru (truck builder Cris Payne); Wild RV Life (recreational vehicle lifestyle by Craig and Victoria Shelton); and Big Truck Big RV (YouTube truck reviews by “JD”).

Personal touch and tech
This marketing outreach, which can only be called infectious, was matched with friendly service and a personal touch. “One thing with the retail world in this day and age, much of it is automated and robotic. We shy away from that in our interaction with customers,” says Schmucker.

Instead, GEN-Y employs a team of sales representatives who personally answer calls and emails, help customers, and educate people on company products. Clients are routinely amazed at such courteous treatment, says Schmucker, and this ‘lend-a-hand’ ethos applies to staff as well. GEN-Y employees frequently collaborate and assist on projects and in helping customers.

Clearly, people appreciate this approach, as employment at GEN-Y has gone from a staff of 51 in 2021 to 83 at present. Job applicants should demonstrate a helpful attitude, strong work ethic, and a high degree of flexibility, says Schmucker: “We’re looking for people who can quickly pivot and adjust. We try to make products that fulfill the customer’s needs or, if they have frustrations, we want to be able to create products that help them.” Day to day, this may mean tweaking an existing product based on customer input or even developing a whole new product.

All GEN-Y staff work in an environment where safety is paramount. Safety glasses and other PPE are mandatory in manufacturing areas, and workers are given extensive training in everything from using forklifts to performing CPR.

“We’re making sure we’re prepared for anything that could happen in a manufacturing facility. We have a lot of heavy machinery, equipment, and robotics, so all the team members in charge of those machines are trained on the safety aspects,” says Schmucker.

Alongside safety, innovation is at the heart of GEN-Y’s mission. “The goal of our engineering team is to come out with at least one new product every quarter. So, this year, when I counted, there were seven, maybe eight products we came out with,” shares Schmucker.

Ironically, GEN-Y’s recent rise has brought about a few challenges, she says. “One of our biggest challenges was getting our suppliers to keep up with the growth we’ve experienced. We’re on track to hit 40 percent growth this year over last.” But it’s a good problem to have.

Winning recognition
The company’s hard work and emphasis on quality is paying off in another area; as of late, GEN-Y has been showered with industry kudos, including a New Product of the Year award bestowed at the 2022 North American Trailer Dealers Association (NATDA) trade show in Nashville, Tennessee. The award (one of several GEN-Y has earned from NATDA) was in recognition of a product called the GoosePuck Offset Ball Puck System.

“The GoosePuck is the first, factory OEM offset gooseneck ball on the market. It offers an additional five-inch offset and connects directly to the OEM puck system in the bed of a truck,” said a September 7, 2022 NATDA press release. GEN-Y was also a finalist in the Manufacturer of the Year category at last fall’s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show in Las Vegas.

A believer in giving back to the community, GEN-Y actively supports charities such as the Family Christian Development Center (FCDC—a faith-based nonprofit group based in Nappanee that provides aid to individuals and families) and the local Boys and Girls Club. GEN-Y also supports Cultivate Food Rescue, an organization in South Bend, Indiana that provides meals to school children in need.

As for what the future holds, Schmucker offers a highly optimistic forecast: “We have a new product list that’s a mile long,” she says. “In five years, I envision us with many new products out in the market, getting our toes wet in a couple of new markets, gaining more market share, and becoming a much more common name.”

The post GEN-Y’s Secret of Success—Hitching the Business to Innovation and Service<p class="company">GEN-Y Hitch</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

The company began with a vision of addressing the growing demand for optics solutions that could handle increasingly complex materials and applications. Through its expertise in laser-assisted machining, M10 Edge™ diamond tooling, and optics manufacturing under the 603 OPTX™ brand, Micro-LAM quickly carved out a niche in the industry. Today, its headquarters in Portage, Michigan, serves as the hub for innovation, while its global presence continues to expand through manufacturing facilities in Stevenage, UK; Keene, New Hampshire; and Shanghai, China.

“We think of ourselves as an optics technology company,” says Brian Simon, Chief Operating Officer, “not just a component provider.” This foundational philosophy stems from Micro-LAM’s roots in academia and research. What began as a thesis project has grown into a company that not only manufactures optics and diamond tooling but also develops cutting-edge technologies like the OPTIMUS system for laser-assisted diamond turning.

The OPTIMUS system exemplifies the company’s ability to merge advanced engineering with practical applications. This innovative technology is designed to enhance the precision and efficiency of ultra precision machining, making it possible to work with materials that were previously considered too challenging to machine. The result is a versatile solution that meets the demands of industries ranging from aerospace to medical devices.

“We continue to innovate around new and exotic materials,” Simon explains. “Our solutions are technology-based, enabling us to provide more than just products. We offer tailored answers to some of the most complex challenges our customers face.”

Micro-LAM’s culture is defined by its dedication to innovation and bold thinking. Rather than being bound by traditional approaches, the team actively embraces challenges and seeks unique solutions that others might not consider, setting the company apart in the industry.

This forward-thinking approach is evident in the company’s ability to work with extremely challenging materials and deliver results that push the boundaries of what’s possible in optics manufacturing and diamond tooling. It’s a strategy that has enabled the company to scale globally in less than a decade, with operations spanning North America, Europe, and Asia.

Micro-LAM’s boldness is not just about tackling technical challenges; it’s also about fostering an environment where employees are encouraged to think creatively and take risks. Micro-LAM utilizes the AIM (All Ideas Matter) idea improvement system to harness innovation, and this culture of innovation has led to groundbreaking developments, such as the company’s work on better optics laser turn (BOLT) technology, which significantly reduces subsurface damage and polishing time.

For Micro-LAM, quality is more than a buzzword; it’s a core differentiator. Simon emphasizes, “We pride ourselves on getting it right the first time. Our processes are designed to strive for zero defects, ensuring that our customers receive the highest-quality products and services.”

One standout example of this commitment is the company’s tooling business, which offers what Simon describes as “the fastest turnaround for tool relapping services,” a three-day process that combines superior metrology and innovative techniques to provide unmatched quality and efficiency. This level of attention to detail has propelled the tooling and optics divisions to grow significantly faster than their respective markets.

Micro-LAM’s emphasis on quality extends to its internal processes as well. By fostering a culture of precision and excellence, the company ensures that every product and service meets the highest standards. This meticulous approach not only strengthens customer relationships but also enhances the company’s reputation as a trusted partner in the industry.

Customer testimonials often highlight the seamless integration of Micro-LAM’s products into existing workflows and the significant improvements in efficiency and precision that they enable. In addition to products, Micro-LAM also is a trusted technical partner to its customers, providing manufacturability solutions from the concept to full production phase. These real-world success stories underscore the company’s dedication to delivering solutions that exceed expectations.

Indeed, Micro-LAM’s portfolio of innovations reflects its relentless pursuit of excellence. The company’s proprietary technologies, like BOLT, address key industry challenges such as subsurface damage, which reduces polishing time and improves the overall manufacturing process. “Our goal is to eliminate subsurface damage entirely,” Simon says. “That vision keeps us at the forefront of industry advancements.”

And the company’s innovations are not limited to product development. Micro-LAM actively collaborates with major industry players, including the aerospace and defense sector, to tackle complex projects that demand cutting-edge solutions. These partnerships highlight the company’s ability to adapt its technologies to meet diverse and demanding requirements.

Recent achievements further demonstrate Micro-LAM’s industry leadership. The company has been recognized for its innovative approaches and high quality standards, earning accolades such as being named one of Michigan’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For and winner in the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation, both in 2024. This recognition reflects not only the company’s technical excellence but also its commitment to creating a supportive and dynamic work environment.

“We’re proud to have built a culture that’s hardworking, fun, and creative,” says Simon. “Our cultural accelerator surveys consistently show phenomenal results, validating that our employees feel valued and inspired.”

At the heart of Micro-LAM’s workplace culture is a dedication to collaboration and inclusivity. Employees are encouraged to think creatively, take risks, and contribute to the company’s mission of innovation, and this supportive environment not only attracts top talent but also fosters long-term employee satisfaction and growth. Micro-LAM offers an innovative on-the-job training program for team members called ML-XL Scholarships. The program is based on Micro-LAM’s academic foundation of providing financial incentive scholarships to encourage employees to learn new skills, thereby fostering a flexible and multi-skilled team. This commitment to growth ensures that the company’s workforce remains at the leading edge of the industry.

As Micro-LAM continues to grow, the company is committed to pursuing materials that were previously considered impossible to turn and to advancing technologies that address emerging market needs. “We’re not just doing things the way they’ve always been done,” Simon emphasizes. “By embracing innovation and thinking boldly, we’re creating competitive advantages that allow us to produce optics and tools that are not only better but also faster and more cost-effective.”

The company’s vision for the future thus includes expanding its capabilities in material science and machining technologies. By staying ahead of industry trends and anticipating customer needs, Micro-LAM aims to remain a leader in the optics technology space. Disruptive technology and continuous innovation, the company believes, is the only way to retain and grow cutting-edge manufacturing in the USA.

Simon shares, “We continue to innovate and adapt, ensuring that our technologies meet the ever-changing demands of the market. Whether it’s developing new solutions for the defense sector or refining our existing processes, we’re always looking for ways to improve and grow.”

From its academic beginnings to its current status as a global leader in optics technology, Micro-LAM has consistently demonstrated a commitment to innovation, quality, and bold thinking. By combining innovative engineering and a customer-centric approach, the company has redefined what is possible in precision manufacturing.

With a culture that fosters creativity and collaboration, a portfolio of trailblazing technologies, and a clear vision for the future, Micro-LAM is poised to continue its trajectory of success. Whether you are a potential customer seeking cutting-edge solutions or a professional looking to join a dynamic team, Micro-LAM offers a unique opportunity to be part of something truly extraordinary.

The post Pioneering Precision – The Micro-LAM Journey in Optics Innovation<p class="company">Micro-LAM</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Since 2016, LEAN has made it its mission to develop innovative and customizable solutions to enhance productivity and reduce waste in manufacturing environments. This vision has enabled the company to become the distinct leader in efficiency and sustainability in the United States, as well as to redefine simplicity itself by pursuing safe and efficient workspaces.

The suite of offerings from LEAN includes storage systems, returnable cartridges, carts, kitting solutions, and racks of varying size and capacities made for manufacturing storage facilities, as well as WIP (work in progress) and downstream operation solutions. These products serve to store materials like sheet metal as well as long stock materials (i.e. steel tubes, angle iron, aluminum extrusions), all of which need specific handling and care to be managed effectively in a facility storage space.

Company President Jake Erschen, the son of WMP founder Dan Erschen, grew up around the metal manufacturing industry and got hooked on it following a career change after college. After designing and establishing a solution and business model to reduce the time spent handling material, Jake applied it to the then-nascent LEAN Manufacturing Products and has since seen the business expand its operations into practically every American state. “We work hard to show customers the shortest ROI [return on investment] period for what we offer,” he says.

The business has drawn on the skill of many talented and capable workers in its short history. Team members like Production Manager Jordan Meyer and Sales Lead Steve Drida say that they were initially drawn to LEAN’s product offering as well as what the company offers the manufacturing industry. Meyer and Drida are proud to be part of such a forward-thinking and innovative operation and appreciate getting in on the ground floor with LEAN when it was first established; they were able to see the team’s efforts having a direct impact right away.

LEAN further stands out in its market thanks to its commitment to customization, quality, and innovation. Its highly customizable solutions are meant to meet the specific needs of any client, so that the product can become a seamless part of any other business’s manufacturing process. These products are also built to be durable and to reduce both waste and energy consumption, with a mind toward the reduction of clients’ environmental footprint (hence the company’s emphasis on ‘lean’).

In reducing or even outright eliminating workplace clutter and disorganization while improving time, visibility, and employee wellbeing in the workplace, the company draws closer to achieving its goals of more efficient and effective workplaces for its customer base. Being so committed to each client’s needs means that great care is taken to make sure everyone is listened to. Every client interaction is made with open and transparent communication as a key value, including keeping a dedicated customer support team on hand for any kind of assistance necessary.

“We deliver solutions that truly add value to the client’s operations,” Meyer says, and the addition of custom solutions requires a degree of transparency that LEAN is ever ready to offer clients from every corner of the manufacturing sector.

In recent years, LEAN has achieved its goals around innovation and customization through a variety of methods: first, through the development and adoption of its returnable re-rack cartridge design, the need for wooden pallets in a storage facility can be basically eliminated, thereby reducing waste and streamlining the shipping and receiving process. Re-rack cartridges are also engineered to protect materials in transit, minimizing damage and increasing reliability. Through this approach, LEAN has managed to bring steel suppliers onboard into using its returnable cartridge system, bringing the cartridges closer to becoming an industry norm and further promoting sustainability in manufacturing.

The re-rack cartridge system is also a representation of the LEAN commitment to sustainability and the environment; through its use, space utilization in storage and transportation can be improved, meaning more materials can be shipped in a single load, thereby reducing transportation costs as well as emissions.

Just this past year, LEAN furthered its new product development by working on coil storage racks for different size formats and weight capacity, including long-stock racks for storing tubing, extrusions, flat irons, and rods.

The manufacturing sector in the United States is one that is often at the mercy of both large-scale trends as well as customer demand, and Meyer says that no matter what lies ahead, LEAN is poised to play an important role in the evolving landscape of manufacturing and storage solutions therein. “Our commitment to innovation and sustainability aligns perfectly with these industry trends,” he says, and the company’s economical, sustainable, and high-quality solutions will allow all its customers to remain competitive in a rapidly changing market.

Indeed, the LEAN team foresees a future where lean manufacturing solutions like the ones it offers are integrated into every manufacturing plant across the country, so its goal is to be at the forefront of such a movement by continually driving the adoption of these efficient and effective principles.

While many businesses across diverse fields are experiencing a downturn in the workforce due to an aging employee population, Erschen says that LEAN is continually getting smarter about integrating a next-generation talent pool into its workforce. A big part of what is attracting young people to the industry, he says, is the ability of companies like LEAN to bring storage facilities to a state-of-the-art quality, effectively modernizing them. This goes along with an industry-wide shift away from the classically dark and grimy image of work in metal contract manufacturing into a brighter and cleaner future. Erschen says that the company is constantly buoyed by a great team that continues to adapt and grow along with the industry itself.

As the first half of the ’20s is nearly complete and the company inches closer to its first decade in business, LEAN will remain the distinct leader in its sector through continued investment in research and development. The company also plans to continue fostering partnerships with key stakeholders. Looking to expand its industry impact while continuing to drive innovation in the manufacturing sector, LEAN’s goal is to become the go-to provider for exactly what its namesake describes: lean manufacturing products. In doing so, it can continue to help businesses across America achieve their operational goals and drive sustainable growth.

Greater efficiency is a growing concern in today’s manufacturing landscape, and Lean Manufacturing Products aims to be the face of this growing movement for a long time to come.

The post Bringing Efficient and Effective Solutions to Manufacturing<p class="company">Lean Manufacturing Products</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

“Everything is done completely in-house. We don’t sub out any of our processes,” says Owner/CEO/President Steven Griffin.

The industrial, institutional, and transportation sectors constitute the company’s main markets. Industrial solutions from Sky Blue include heavy-duty degreasers and cleaners, lubricants, and metal cleaning products, while institutional products include solutions for house cleaning, water treatment, commercial laundries, and custodial work. While Sky Blue products are used to clean buses, trucks, boats, and planes, most of the company’s transportation-related business centers on car washes, car detailing firms, rental car agencies and similar.

“Automotive is our life’s blood. That’s where our roots are, and that’s what we do the most today,” states Chief Financial Officer Kaleb Thomas.

Sky Blue works with customers across the U.S. and indeed, around the world. “We’ve done projects all the way from India to Canada, South America, Europe; we’ve done all sorts of different things. We’ve shipped product by plane, by boat, by rail, by truck,” says Chief Operating Officer CJ Tuckett.

Blending tanks, filling machines, and bottling lines in the Sky Blue facility are used for liquid and powder blending processes. The company also offers warehousing and shipping services and leak-proof packaging in various sizes and configurations. But whether it’s a proprietary product or something custom manufactured for a client, quality control is central to everything Sky Blue does. The chemistry in car cleaning products must be flawless in order for an automobile to emerge “clean, spot free, and shiny… It’s more than just throwing a bunch of foam in a tank and stirring it up,” says Griffin.

To this end, Sky Blue maintains a quality control team and every batch of chemicals the firm manufactures receives a batch number for easy tracking and a certificate of analysis (COA). The latter is a document that cites the lab tests a product was put through and the results (Sky Blue performs viscosity and pH tests, to name a few). The company adheres to national and international chemical standards and keeps on top of regulatory changes in the field. Regardless of shipment size, multiple sets of hands and eyes scrutinize all products prior to distribution, notes Tuckett. He adds that the company is close to achieving ISO 9001 certification.

This same diligence is expected of vendors who supply the company with raw materials. Sky Blue works with a preferred list of qualified suppliers who can provide quality goods complete with certificates of analysis. “There is a vetting process that we use in making sure the supplier meets our specific needs,” Griffin explains. Indeed, the COVID pandemic aptly demonstrated the benefits of maintaining a well-established supply network. Unlike other businesses, Sky Blue continued to be well supplied with raw materials and actually assisted other companies who found it difficult to obtain certain goods.

And the company is equally focused on safety. Sky Blue employs a safety manager and conducts all required OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) courses. Training is offered on corrosive substances, handling hazardous and/or flammable materials, operating forklifts, and more.

“We have a training schedule that we follow,” Tuckett explains. “We basically do a training a week if the need arises. What’s great about being a small, family-owned firm is that we can adjust, pivot, and shift. If we’ve been having some issues with x, y, or z, we can focus on those areas.” For instance, Sky Blue recently overhauled its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software to “up our game” as Thomas puts it. The new, improved ERP system collects data about inventory, purchasing, production, quality control, and safety.

The company traces its roots to Steve’s father, Alton Griffin, who established a combination tunnel car wash/full-service gas station in Ogden in 1963. Alton’s timing was terrible (“They actually opened on the day JFK was shot, so their grand opening didn’t go over so well,” says Griffin). Still, Alton worked hard and soon sensed an untapped business opportunity. Unable to find commercially available car wash chemicals, he hired a university chemist to create simple formulas for the young firm.

After much research and development, car wash chemicals were developed and put to use. Alton Griffin was so impressed with the results, he began marketing his proprietary car cleaning solutions to fellow car wash operators, auto dealers, and other clients.

The business grew and eventually Steve Griffin’s older brothers departed Ogden to pursue their own careers. As the youngest son, he stuck around as the company continued to evolve. The car wash and detailing portions of the company were sold in the late 1980s as the team decided to focus on blending, mixing, and selling car wash chemicals. The company currently manufactures 20,000 gallons of chemical products a day.

As noted, Sky Blue offers its own line of car cleaning chemicals. These are largely sold in “the inter-mountain region here in the Western United States”—which comprises Utah and Idaho, says Griffin. Some of the customers buying these products have been with the company for decades, he adds. Sky Blue also installs and sells car wash equipment including in-bay automatic tunnel wash infrastructure and other machinery. A full-time team is employed for this segment, which primarily operates in the inter-mountain region.

In total, 35 people work for Sky Blue at present, up from roughly 30 at this point last year. While the qualifications required for a position depend greatly on the job at hand, new hires are expected to embrace a set of core tenets that Thomas refers to as, “Blue Team Values.” These values include integrity, continuous personal growth, relationships, collaboration, and customer success. The team aims to forge close links with employees, vendors, and customers alike. Sky Blue is a “family first company” that has no problem giving employees time off to care for a sick child or attend a school performance, adds Thomas.

“Everyone works as a team… It’s not about making a quick buck. It’s about building relationships,” he continues. The family focus continues to this day, with family members occupying key positions. Steve Griffin’s wife is the lead receptionist, while COO Tuckett is his eldest son-in-law; Brandon Tuckett, Vice President of Sales, is CJ Tuckett’s uncle.

As part of its family-centric approach, Sky Blue undertakes extensive philanthropic work, supporting civic beautification programs, homeless shelters, and community centers, among other ventures. “If you don’t give back to your community, it’s ultimately going to make a failure of your company,” shares Griffin.

Clearly, Sky Blue is doing something right, given that the company has “multiple employees” who have worked at the firm for over 20 years, says Thomas.

“Not only do we have long-term employees; we have second generation employees as well. Two generations working inside of the company,” adds Griffin.

The company isn’t shy about promoting its products and services. In addition to its online presence, Sky Blue relies on “old-fashioned” marketing, including “knocking on doors, making cold calls. Trade shows are huge for us. We send our whole team out to trade shows to canvas for new contacts, new potential customers,” says Thomas. The firm also assists its customers at trade shows, visiting their booths and lending a hand when needed.

Going forward, there are “so many new things we’re working on right now,” says Griffin, pointing to water reclamation services as an area of particular importance.

Water reclamation—being able to recycle water and use it again—is becoming a huge issue, especially in the drought-ridden Western United States. The challenge is that any water captured during the car wash process needs to be purified to remove any chemicals it contains, and this must be done in a manner that is both cost-effective and eco-friendly. As such, Sky Blue is “working on a car wash line that not only meets bio-degradable standards, but meets reclaim standards completely, clear through the tunnel car wash,” states Griffin.

The firm also anticipates a boost to its bottom line: “We’re looking at 30 percent growth this year and we want to maintain that moving forward,” says Thomas.

Within two years, the company hopes to open a manufacturing plant on the East Coast to help with logistics and reduce shipping costs. Once that is achieved, Sky Blue Chemical may consider additional growth options. “We have some really hefty goals and a great vision for the long term,” states Thomas.

The post This Family Firm Has a Formula for Success<p class="company">Sky Blue Chemical</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Robinson Rubber’s most popular products include elastomers for peristaltic pump systems and a metal-free, conductive rubber material used for specialty electric applications in multiple industries globally. In addition, the company has developed ways of creating improved bonds between materials like elastomers and metals, making it a familiar go-to for customers struggling with failing components they purchased elsewhere. Indeed, the team is well-versed in creating lasting partnerships with clients, becoming a trusted guardian of precious trade secrets that set them apart from their competitors.

While a rubber part may appear to be just that, the reality is that one critical component in a machine worth $1 million or more can cost clients hundreds of thousands if it malfunctions. Without these critical components, crucial systems—from electrical grids to fiber optics to mobile phones and more—cannot operate. By reaching out to the Robinson Rubber team early in the product development process, customers stand to both save money and gain this expert team’s full support in establishing long-lasting solutions.

Naturally, this leads to superior results. “The earlier a customer can partner with us, the better we can do in providing a long-term solution that’s not going to have problems in the field,” says Pete Wolf, President and Chief Executive Officer. He joined the firm nearly 10 years ago after gaining nearly a decade and a half of experience in the world of liquid silicone rubber and plastics.

The team also prides itself on significantly reducing production costs—like it does with its conductive elastomers, for instance: “I don’t believe the engineering world is aware of rubber being a conductor,” says Wolf. “Our formulation is electrically conductive for [electromagnetic interference] shielding, grounding applications, living electrical hinges, connectors, and more. Our product eliminates the need for multiple components, saving cost, space, and overall weight.”

Even more surprising than the product’s existence is the fact that the company developed it half a century ago. “Electrically conductive elastomers are kind of like the industry’s best-kept secret. Not only can we make them electrically conductive, but we can make them thermally conductive,” Wolf says.

The company even supplies metal-detectable elastomers for use in food applications, and it is this high level of specialization that makes it worthwhile for customers to bring their projects to the Robinson Rubber team as early as possible. From aerospace and electrical grid applications to chip fabrication and myriad other fields, the company applies its vast knowledge to develop practical solutions.

Also offering a range of specialized tests, Robinson Rubber has carved a niche for itself that sets it apart from others in the industry. “We offer fluid submersion, compression set testing, and modulus testing,” says Wolf. “We also have in-house equipment that can do full rubber process analyses across the full spectrum of the tier cycle. We’re able to derive and validate solutions… more quickly than other suppliers.”

Armed with the knowledge that has stood the test of time, the company is proud to be an undisputed leader in its field. It has also protected local customers’ supply chains throughout recent upheavals since its extensive in-house testing takes place without the support of foreign outfits. Backed by a team of engineers and other experts in the field, the company has turned itself into a one-stop solutions provider for all things rubber and rubber molding. “As we see the demand for our products grow, we are committed to investing in the equipment in-house,” Wolf continues.

With elastomers being a notoriously tricky field, the company’s team is expert at providing solutions to problems that often appear insurmountable at first. The company also offers molding, extrusion, assembly, packaging, and finishing, as well as cryogenic deflashing that renders molded components that are smoothly finished by applying liquid nitrogen to achieve icy temperatures that ease the deburring process. And customers can trust Robinson Rubber to deliver goods that are ready to be retailed via a process known as ‘dock to stock,’ handling the entire process—from product development to shipping—on behalf of its clients, while taking care to keep costs as low as possible.

“We provide a solution that saves money and saves the total supply chain cost,” says Wolf. “It’s not just the part cost; it’s the cost of managing a supplier, the cost of quality—all that wrapped into one.” Robinson Rubber achieves much of its cost savings by employing sophisticated waste management technology, particularly on expensive material runs.

In addition, the team aims to be open and available to all customers and any challenges they may bring that need solving. To fully achieve the level of communication and hands-on involvement for which the company has become known, Robinson Rubber meets with its top customers once a week to bring transparency and ensure that everyone is aligned on every project. The customers “are our number one focus at all times. We’re accessible, and we provide great communication.”

Wolf also invests in his people. Providing his team with annual profit sharing and robust benefits means that people truly enjoy their jobs and remain loyal to the company. “You can’t make parts without having a team, and so I continually invest in the team in training, safety, and technology,” Wolf says, ensuring that everyone remains in stride with evolution in the industry. As a result, many staff members remain with the company for 10 years or more; some have been with the team for over 30 years, passing on knowledge to newer staff members along the way.

The company also affords employees the flexibility to deal with family obligations, and celebrates big achievements with cookouts and other team events. In addition to taking care of its people, there are also a series of community projects and charities that benefit from its success and generosity.

Aiming to double in size over the next five years, Robinson Rubber is expanding its production facility. The company is not only exploring being a tier 1 supplier of raw rubber materials, but it is also investing deeply in research and development of new technologies and material combinations, ensuring that it remains the go-to for customers’ elastomer needs.

As Wolf says, “If you don’t want to have to worry about a $2 or $10 or $20 rubber part in a $1,000,000 operation, come to Robinson Rubber.”

The post Pushing the Boundaries of Possibility<p class="company">Robinson Rubber Products Company</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Driven by the vision of “creating a future where our technology provides real solutions for health, safety, security, and national defense,” AURA transcends the profile of a traditional military contractor. With a current focus on Industry 4.0 smart manufacturing solutions and a robust portfolio of issued patents and patents pending spanning artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, aerospace, and even COVID-19 solutions, the company is a powerhouse of R&D.

Guided by the mission “to research, develop, and commercialize innovative and ethical technologies in collaboration with the world’s best talent,” AURA’s success is a testament to the power of human ingenuity. At the heart of Aura’s success lies a team of passionate innovators, driven by a shared vision of a brighter future.

Back in 2015, AURA Technologies was founded by husband-and-wife team Douglas and Anna Bennett, who serve as co-CEOs. Securing contracts and pursuing regular operations by 2017, AURA now has offices in North Carolina and South Carolina, and will soon expand into a new office space in Research Triangle Park.

Prior to co-founding AURA, Anna’s distinguished career spanned the commercial sector, where she led transformative initiatives as a former executive at global biopharma companies such as GSK and IQVIA. Douglas brought considerable government experience in advanced technology and defense, including leading R&D initiatives at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), as well as developing public policy at the National Academy of Science. This unique blend of expertise has been instrumental in driving AURA’s success.

In addition to the founders, AURA boasts a team of brilliant innovators. “We have a lot of people with PhDs and advanced degrees in computer science and data science,” says William Harvey, Executive Vice President, Software Programs at AURA. “That is our aim—to have a team of very talented, highly intelligent staff.” The growing team of about 50 employees and contractors comprises engineers, scientists, software developers, data scientists, and other specialists.

“As a company, we are strategically diversified,” says Anna Bennett, co-founder and co-CEO. “Our business model is to use our brilliant human capital and collaborate with other organizations to develop software and hardware solutions. Those solutions are diverse, which keeps our team of innovators fully engaged using their wide range of skills.”

The company’s commercial products division sells technology solutions such as TrustedDM™, a patented cyber-physical security device, SemperLUX™, a military-grade flexible lighting solution, and Ion Bar™, a new product category in Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). “We have strategic diversity,” Harvey reiterates, “and we create technology that ensures our solutions are providing value. We don’t just provide a piece of software; we provide a piece of hardware that solves a problem, the software that runs the hardware, and the software that interfaces with that system.”

AURA has always engaged in what are called Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects. “SBIR is when you have a small business or company like AURA, and that company creates a response to a government proposal and is able to work on that independently, using intellectual property within the organization,” Harvey explains.

One of the unique differentiators of the company is the ability to work with different universities, which has proven advantageous. “When they have applicable departments or specialists, we can access those resources, have those specialists work together with our organization, and do combination research projects,” says Harvey. “So even though we are a relatively small DoD contractor, we have the ability to perform STTR projects because we are able to draw from the technology and knowledge provided from the institutions that we partner with.”

The company’s clients span diverse industries, including U.S. government agencies such as the Department of Defense (DoD), commercial customers, and healthcare solutions providers. Due to the sensitive nature of its government work, AURA cannot discuss details of projects or reveal external information, but publicly available projects include an Advanced Soldier Electronic Device Management System, a Scalable Ultra-Short Pulse Laser System, and Intelligent Aircraft Electrical LMC. These works, and others, were carried out for the DoD.

AURA has seen success as a rapidly growing company, including being listed on the Inc. 5000 three years in a row. While the company takes pride in its success, the AURA team believes in giving back to the community. “Charitable efforts are part of what we do,” says Harvey. “We have participated in food banks and disaster relief activities. There are days where we devote our time volunteering as a team, and this is a welcome opportunity to focus on important issues outside of work and give back.”

On its 10^th anniversary, AURA is in the process of moving its headquarters into a larger space located in the heart of the Research Triangle Park in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“It is our objective to innovate solutions to optimize the digital pipeline for efficiency and security,” says Harvey. “Our customer is the DoD, but our end user is the war fighter, members of the uniformed branch services, as well as the commercial sector. So, we are focused on solutions that are a value-add for the government and for our end users,” he says.

“We operate in a highly constrained, regulated environment in government acquisition and government projects, and we do that comfortably. Oftentimes we see users are given tech that doesn’t work well because it is considered a lowest-price acceptable technology solution. We provide solutions that both meet the requirements of the DoD acquisition process and are also critical as well as valuable to the war fighter and beyond.”

The post Mastering Innovation<p class="company">AURA Technologies</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

“The acquisition by Daikin will strengthen our position in the Global market,” says Fabian Udo Beims, Sales and Marketing Director of Continental Hydraulics.

Being part of a strong company like Daikin—which has 90,000 employees—means greater access to resources and funds for investment. “It will allow us to improve in our product portfolio, speed up some of our initiatives and product launches, and strengthen our position in the market in terms of mergers and acquisitions,” shares Udo Beims.

Continental Hydraulics has a 114,000-square-foot plant in Shakopee, Minnesota, serving industrial and mobile applications across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Providing products and services to many top-tier customers, Continental’s client base includes construction, screening and crushing, mining, agriculture, oil and gas, machine tools, metal forming, food and beverage, medical and pharmaceutical, wood manufacturing, power generation, and more—“anything you can imagine that has hydraulics in it,” says Jason Dunlap, Interim General Manager and Director of Operations.

While sales were down for the company’s competitors in 2024, the opposite was true for Continental. “We have market share in all the sectors we are in, and are experiencing growth in all sectors in the last three years,” says Udo Beims.

Of course, Continental employs technology to make its processes more efficient, but the team is mindful of the need for human connections with its many customers. This has led to adopting a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) approach which sees buyers and sellers interact with one another through a P2P platform.

“We are trying to find ways to automate yet have a personal connection and not use automated or AI communication like some companies are doing,” says Eastern Regional Manager, Jamie Omvig II. “We have a customer service team and regional managers who are available by phone or email. We do a lot of face-to-face meetings with our distributors and direct customers to provide as much personal communication as possible. It’s a delicate balancing act, because what we don’t want to do is become inefficient and consume time on things that aren’t critical. We try to balance and manage that as best we can, particularly with our distributors.”

Indeed, Continental goes to market in different ways, with sales channels based on the Voice of the Customer approach, says Udo Beims.

Dunlap can be found regularly at the Gemba (shop floor), to ensure 100 percent customer satisfaction while supporting the employees and ensuring they have the tools to succeed, an example of Daikin’s people-centred management style.

“Daikin truly believes in a PCM structure, which fits perfectly with my leadership style,” Dunlap says. “We are trying to bring our employees into the mix right in the decision-making process, making sure they are challenged and that they are part of the decision-making here when it directly affects their responsibilities for the day. Nobody knows the job better than someone who’s doing it. For management to make its own decisions without consulting the employees is the wrong direction to go, and it’s definitely what we don’t do here—we make sure we bring everybody in here.”

Coming on board around the time of the Continental acquisition, Dunlap is happy with how everything is progressing in a timely fashion. “Corporate support is essential in this industry, and we have agile leadership that has the proven ability to move quickly on capital requests for machine replacements and moving our facility into Industry 4.0.”

Another Daikin acquisition, Till Hydraulik, has helped the company enter the German market. “Globally, we produce almost every single hydraulic product line you can think of,” says Dunlap. “We’ve had many success stories with our pumps,” with some customers finally requesting replacements for pumps that have been out in the field for 40 years or longer.

Ever continuing to innovate, Continental Hydraulics offers its customers new and existing products. These include IO-Link hydraulic valves, an electronics communications protocol product line that is unique in the industry. “It is a differentiator in the market,” says Omvig. Another is the company’s line of zinc nickel-plated hydraulic valve products. “That’s a standard feature for us, and kind of unique in the industry,” he adds. “For a lot of our customers who use our products—particularly mobile equipment or industrial applications where there is a lot of wash-down or a corrosive environment—it’s a very popular feature that again, not everybody offers,” he says. “We certainly have an expanded product offering that we are being very judicious about, but it is coming.”

Certainly, Daikin’s acquisition of Continental Hydraulics and its expansion into the global hydraulics market mark a strategic move that strengthens its position as an industry leader. By leveraging its extensive resources, people-centered management approach, and commitment to innovation, the company is not only enhancing its product offerings but also reinforcing customer relationships through a balanced mix of technology and personal engagement. As these companies continue to invest in growth, branding, and product development, they remain well-positioned to drive long-term success in the hydraulic sector while upholding their well-earned reputations.

The post Strength Through Innovation<p class="company">Continental Hydraulics</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.