Domestic Contract Manufacturing Firm Vaults onto Inc. 500 List
Contract Manufacturer Zentech Manufacturing experiences 574% growth since 2000, despite stiff overseas competition
(PRWEB) January 25, 2005 -- With the topic of offshore outsourcing so hot,
few would expect a domestic company specializing in contract manufacturing to make Inc. Magazine’s top 500 list of
fastest growing privately held companies for 2004. Yet with 574% growth over
four years, The Baltimore, Maryland-based Zentech Manufacturing Inc. ranked #255
in annual sales growth out of more than 500,000 businesses contacted and vetted
by financial statements.
Zentech is a full service contract manufacturer
offering high speed, precision assembly of all types of printed circuit boards
for the defense, medical, aerospace, industrial, telecom, and computing
industries. The company also provides a full range of PCB testing and mechanical
assembly services.
Although they count Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and
Becton Dickinson among their clients, Zentech strives to provide clients of any
size a responsive, one-to-one, partnership experience.
“What sets
Zentech apart is its willingness to partner with you to get the job done -- not
just a premium facility, the best equipment, technicians, and technique,” says
Byron Knowles, founder of Aerospace Technology Group (ATG), an aerospace
supplier that has relied on Zentech for contract manufacturing over the past six
years. “At a typical contract manufacturer, you’re just another customer work
order.”
Recently, ATG was bidding for a contract with a major aerospace
OEM to implement a next generation, electromechanical window shade. To remain in
the bidding process, ATG was asked to produce a working prototype quickly,
before they started developing the controller board. ATG presented their dilemma
to Zentech.
“Drawing on their design and development resources, Zentech
produced a working prototype at a price that enabled us to win the contract,”
says Knowles. “They compressed six months of development into six
weeks.”
“Most contract houses say, ‘Give us your specs and we’ll make it
for you,’” continues Knowles. “But Zentech can not only help develop your specs,
but also make sure the result is manufacturable. They ensure our motors comply
with FAA regulation and test for EMI shielding, for example. It’s a rare
relationship.”
At Zentech’s new 42,000-sq. ft. facility, which is
designed for high quality circuit board assembly, a flexible, continuous flow,
contract manufacturing process allows for on-the-fly
modifications to meet changing customer needs and demands. A fully integrated
Enterprise Resource Planning/Material Requirements Planning (ERP/MRP) system
streamlines data, scheduling, and communication.
“We’re dealing with
changing regulatory issues and individual customer standards in our industry,”
says Knowles. “There’s always a need to adapt, modify, or add -- but most
contract manufacturers will not. Zentech has worked with us on short notice, no
matter what the lead time or customer demand. They are more our partner than
vendor.”
When ATG found its customers pressing them to implement
stringent supply chain management criteria, Knowles felt confident in Zentech’s
zero-defect approach. This includes not only quality systems such as Automated
Optical Inspection (AOI), high tech selective soldering equipment, and
temperature, humidity, and electro-static discharge (ESD) controls, but also a
systematic process to prevent and eliminate errors in processes, equipment,
facilities, training, and personnel.
“As we grow and develop future
product, we rely on Zentech,” says Knowles. “They’ve been so essential to our
success; we’ve actually built our business around them. Their ability to see
potential in our product, adapt to our needs, and get the job done right is
unique in contract
manufacturing.
Zentech is ISO 9000:2000 certified, as well as ANSI
and RAB accredited.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/1/prweb201207.htm