It’s a big day at Clark Synthesis as today, April 8th, we officially begin our state side manufacturing operations. Our transducers have been manufactured overseas for the last 10 years, so needless to say, this is a really exciting time!
Although incredibly busy, it feels so good to have production up and running. I’ve been asked to give a quick summary of how this move came about, so here’s a rundown of how it all began.
About two years ago, we decided to experiment with doing partial builds of our products in the states. To do this, we purchased transducer components from Chinese factories and assembled them here in Colorado. The results were so outstanding, we were inspired to bring the whole operation back to the states.
Our first step in the move was to put as much stock on our warehouse shelves as possible. Next, we needed to get our injection mold tooling back from China, and so we had that shipped as soon as possible. The third step was to source components from US manufacturers, which has been both fun an exciting. Finally, we developed new manufacturing procedures that took advantage of today’s technology. To support all of this work, we implemented a new order processing system that can handle the newly expanded requirements of our business. All of these changes have been a challenge, but we are more than happy to take them on.
We have been working with Front Range Tooling to make the necessary changes and modifications to our tooling. Scott, Dennis, and their whole staff have been wonderful and an absolute joy to work with. The first batch of plastic parts is set to be produced this week, and from what I’ve seen they are better than I could have asked. The issues we did happen find are minor and easily fixed, so we are thankful for that.
One major advantage in moving manufacturing back home is that we can easily update materials and take advantage of all the latest technologies. We are doing everything possible to make these the best transducers we’ve ever produced. With all the new improvements, I expect a transducer manufactured this year will still be making people smile 25 years from now.
I’m so proud of my staff, our vendors, and all our friends who have encouraged us along the way. Our dealers have been amazingly supportive, even as we’ve begun to run out of inventory on products they need. We are so thankful for their continued support and understanding as we make the shift from overseas to at-home manufacturing. We feel honored with their patience and words of encouragement through this transition.
-Bill
