C-Tech Associates

"Business has doubled and our profit margin has grown by 35% since we started working with the New Jersey MEP. No manufacturer should be without them as a resource."

C-Tech Associates, located in Andover, manufactures test instruments for computer and communication networks. The firm supplies training kits and tools to training programs for certified network technicians. Its nationwide customer base includes organizations such as state agencies, community colleges, Fortune 100 companies and students. Through an innovative agreement, graduates are recognized as certified Lucent technicians and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers network technicians. Competitors to C-Tech supply similar test instruments, but C-Tech is unique in that it provides complete training equipment and packages. The company was started in 1993.

C-Tech needed to reduce manufacturing time. The company had to respond more quickly to the rapidly increasing order demand, but did not want to hire additional employees. NJMEP learned of C-Tech and its manufacturing needs when the firm attended an informational program held for all manufacturers in Sussex County.

C-Tech was hand soldering printed circuit boards, but its volume was not sufficient to justify automated soldering. NJMEP demonstrated a technique using a solder pot that mimics the timesaving advantages of machine soldering.

As a result, C-Tech reports that it is producing printed circuit boards five times faster than before. As they gain more experience using this technique, it will increase productivity to 8-10 times faster.

NJMEP staff devoted 6 hours to this project and in this limited time frame was able to find a very practical solution that enabled them to meet production demand within existing staff resources.

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