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Electro-Connect finds its Niche in Difficult-to-Engineer Products
SBA's E200 Class Teaches to Expand Business
Electro-Connect Incorporated benefits from hard work, unique strategy and SBA counseling. When it comes to running her company, Debbie Hamedi is not afraid of a little competition.
“We shine best with projects others shy away from tackling,” Debbie said.
Debbie and her husband, Hassan, are the owners of Electro-Connect Inc., a contract manufacturing company that specializes in complex medical and industrial electronic assemblies. Electro-Connect began more than 25 years ago with a single order. Production took place in the basement of the Hamedi’s home.
That single order spawned an innovative company that has produced products for NASA’s space station and developed anesthetic gas monitors for use in operation rooms.
“In a nutshell, we’re reinventing the product development process,” Debbie said.
In order to better complement Electro-Connect, Debbie and her husband founded an engineering firm: D&H Global Enterprises. Through D&H, the couple developed the Rockhopper which is the “only completely open source Computer On module,” or in other words, a universal controller for electronic devices.
Debbie learned how to expand her business through the SBA’s E200 classes, a curriculum geared towards assisting women and minority entrepreneurs better manage and market their businesses.
The classes rely on the expertise of local business experts, who educate participants on topics such as government contracts, obtaining capital and strategic planning.
“As a direct result of the E200 classes—I am now focused on directing my companies rather than on the daily routine of running them,” she said.
Robert Giesfeldt, Lead Business Development Specialist at the SBA’s Wisconsin District Office, said "Debbie is able to effectively run her business because she knows it so well."
“She wears many hats in her business,” Giesfeldt said. “Debbie is always trying to improve her company.”
Debbie highlights this point when describing how she put what she learned at the E200 classes to use in her business. She now looks at financial records differently and makes a point to ask her accountant pointed questions about growing her business.
Debbie hopes to put this knowledge to good use in the near future
“I’m planning for a larger team of employees, a bigger facility, and I hope to see the numbers double financially over the next three to five years,” she said. “Some great technological work is being done here.” “It’s very exciting.”
Milwaukee area National Technologies Inc Continues to Grow
Making it better in America
Family-owned business thrives due to fifty years of hard work and perseverance
It would be difficult to find a family that epitomizes the “American Dream” more than the Harringtons of National Technologies Inc.
From their company’s motto, “we make it better in America,” to NTI’s rise from humble beginnings, the Harrington’s represent everything great about American entrepreneurial spirit, so much so that National Technologies Inc., was named the 2012 Jeffrey Butland Wisconsin Family Owned Business of the Year by the Small Business Administration.
The story of how NTI reached this plateau is one of hard work and determination.
Starting from scratch in the back of an old garage more than 50 years ago, Robert Harrington and later his son and current president Thomas Harrington built up their Milwaukee-area company from a fledgling startup to a competitive, innovative company that had $20 million in sales in 2011.
“We started from nothing because that’s what we had,” owner Tom Harrington said with a laugh.
Harrington began working at his dad’s shop after school at the age of 12, back when the machines were still equipped with leather belts and broke down quite frequently. However, the company has come a long way since then.
Despite being in the economically combative machine parts manufacturing industry, National Technologies has consistently grown year-in and year-out since its founding in 1959. With the help of the Small Business Administration and its 504-loan program, NTI recently expanded and upgraded its manufacturing location.
“For us to be competitive we have to be very, very good at what we do,” he said.
National Technologies supplies equipment and components to a variety of businesses, including corporate powerhouses like Caterpillar, John Deere and Waukesha Engine. While NTI did not escape the confines of the global recession of 2008-2009, it has increased the number of its full-time employees from a low of 61 just a few years ago to about 160 today.
National Technologies has been family run since its inception in 1959. The company’s two lead engineers started as floor machinists decades ago, highlighting NTI’s commitment to its employees.
Currently, the third-generation of Harringtons' is incorporating an aggressive marketing strategy that has led to a doubling of sales over the past three years. The company continues to invest in itself, retraining its employees and spending roughly $500,000 each year on improvements to its manufacturing facility.
NTI has been recognized by the community for numerous awards, including being named a “Top Place to Work” in 2010 by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and included in the “Future 50” list for fastest growing companies by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.
The MMAC is probably spot on its analysis of National Technologies, as it has increased the size of its manufacturing facility 200% in the past couple years, from 40,000 sq. ft. to a 120,000 sq. ft. state-of-art factory, thanks in part to the SBA’s 504 program. This has led to dozens of new jobs being created in the Milwaukee area.
National Technologies continues to attract new business, improve its facilities and train its employees, something Tom is sure his father would have been happy to see.
“He’d be proud if he could see us today,” Tom said.
S3 International in Glendale, WI is Taking Off
S3 is Taking Off
Aircraft parts provider has made big gains in competitive industry
What they do over at S3 International cannot be described as rocket science.
However, it is close.
The Glendale, Wisconsin Company provides aircraft parts, repair services, supply chain management to customers in the military and commercial aerospace fields. S3, which was founded in 2005, is owned by Aksel Sidem, Jeff Wnuk and Sebastien Imbert, who have taken the company from its humble beginnings to a leader in the aerospace industry.
The story of S3 is one of rapid growth and innovation. In its first year, S3 had $225,000 in sales. In 2011, the company had more than $10 million in sales. Part of the reason for this rapid growth can be attested to the global nature of S3’s management team.
“Among the three owners, we speak six languages,” Sidem said. “Our organization consists of a diverse, multi-cultural and multi-lingual team that is fluent in seven languages.”
“The multi-lingual employees have all been exposed to different cultures and at one time have lived abroad,” he continued. “We understand the cultural differences that exist from one region of the world to another, and better recognize customer expectations beyond the goods we sell. We are therefore able to customize our services to best meet our customers’ expectations and deliver excellent service.”
The U.S. Small Business Administration also has played a part in helping S3 achieve its goals. The first loan S3 ever received was a SBA backed loan for $300,000 in 2007, which helped the company expand to new premises.
“Needless to say, the SBA loans have provided tremendous financial support for our business,” Sidem said. “We are grateful for the SBA as it works to represent the interests of small businesses like S3.”
The company continues to grow at a rapid pace. It recently acquired an Alabama based Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified aircraft repair station and has plans to move that station to Milwaukee. Overall, S3 has created dozens of jobs in Wisconsin and will continue to create more jobs through its steady growth. Imbert said, “S3’s success is fueled by the dedication and hard work of its employees.”
The company plans on staying laser focused in the coming years and hopes to garner even more business in the aerospace industry.
“S3 is dedicated to customer service excellence by providing the military and commercial aerospace market with only the highest quality parts and support services,” Sidem said. S3 is committed to meeting or exceeding its customers’ expectations by providing superior service and innovative logistics solutions for the best value.
