Akron, OH vs. China - CTO Advisor Road Trip Interview
Transcript
(upbeat music) >> Hey, it's Keith Townsend, Principal of "The CTO Advisor," here in Akron, Ohio on "The CTO Advisor Road Trip," talking to business owners. Today, we have President of Excelsior, David Sutter. And I'm sorry, what's your title, Katie? >> Co-President. >> Keith: Oh, Melissa would appreciate that title. Not so easy question. What products do you actually make? >> We're in the marking products. So if you consider that anything that marks a product. Or we mark a product for somebody else.
We have a graphics, a pre-press department, where we make photo polymer printing plates. Used by label companies, polybag companies, corrugated box companies. We're making doing all their pre-press work and then making the actual photo polymer plate for them. Going into our next department, we're in a machining department where we're doing machining. We're running milling machines and we're machining parts for tire molds, inserts that go for the tire industry, branding dyes, other smaller pieces, parts that people are using. We have a tag department that does lightweight metal stamping.
When I say lightweight, we're stamping small metal tags, asset ID tags, crematory tags, what we call a strip brand. Some other products that we make in that department, badges. We're making stamps, rubber stamps, self-inking stamps, notary stamps, the seals. We're doing some signage, ADA signage. And then some of the new PPE that we've gotten into, the barriers. But if you think of all those products, they're all either used to mark a product, or we're marking a product for somebody else.
>> Keith: Could you show us an example of something in this room that you guys make? >> Probably you could take your camera there, and there's probably a serial number engraved on the bottom of it. That either has a plate on it that was either stamped in or machined in. Or, you know, look at any of the signage behind us that was made. Or if you went to the, if you sent bills out, you probably might have stamped your envelope with the little stamp with your name on it up in the corner for a return address.
Everything from that to, you know, here's something we did for a sculptor that was part of a commemorative sculptor for Frank Robinson for his first day in baseball. This was the lineup card that he's holding in the statue. >> Keith: What myths would you like to dispel about manufacturing? >> The one myth, I think for manufacturing it's still in people's mindsets, they think of got people working in coal mines, or coming out of the tire plants and they're filthy, and it's not that way anymore.
It's become very technical. And even our machinists, I like to say more of being, you know, what you think of as a machinist, you're a computer operator. You're putting a part in, you're loading it. And then you're closing the door and you're going to the control panel, and you're pulling up the program and running the program. Same with our graphics department. Now the plate makers, they're lifting the plates and moving from the equipment. But it's all very technical equipment anymore.
So it's not, manufacturing is not a get down and dirty job of what a lot of people think it is. >> The other thing that surprised me when we first got in, there's a lot of creativity and problem solving involved. It's not something that you say, okay, you're going to run this job and you're going to put it in the machine. You might, you know, press some keys on the keyboard, put it in the machine and it gets done. That rarely happens.
You are always adjusting, solving problems, getting the details right. And it's not just black and white. So there's some more creative than I think most people think. >> Keith: And then tell me about the range of equipment that you have from an age perspective. One of the things we've heard about manufacturing is that, oh we have equipment that runs 300 years. And it's always ancient stuff when you run into a manufacturing floor. >> Yeah, we just added a new digital exposure unit, or laser, in our graphics department.
That's a half a million dollar piece of equipment that within five years will be old technology. It'll still run, there'll be the new, faster, bigger, stronger model out there. But then I can also go out and shop and have presses back there that are 50 years old that are still running today and will continue to run for the next 20 years with the proper maintenance. And they still do the job. There might be something quicker out there on the market, a little faster.
But we've got everything in between from 50 year old stamping press to the new state-of-the-art digital laser and everything in between it seems like. >> Keith: We're talking about competing against China. Talk to me about the pressure to invest in technology needed to outpace China, especially when it comes to manufacturing. >> Well, there's always that need to be trying to stay up, up with the market or be out in front of the market, and what your customers are requiring. And it's tougher for a small manufacturer 'cause we don't have the endless pockets to where a lot of the Chinese companies with government backing can just throw money and add 10 new machines in tomorrow and not think twice about it.
We have to do a lot of thinking, a lot of soul searching, what's best. You've seen we've got probably five different departments and it's okay, what department gets invested into this year? Because you have to be very careful. And there's only so many, so much in funds to do that. So we've been fortunate. It is still a battle to keep ahead of China. But if you're staying in tune with your customers and what they need and what they're driving you to, it kind of helps point you in the right direction all the time.
>> Keith: As a business owner, it's really difficult to know when and what to invest in. How do you make investment decisions in regards to people, technology, or new processes when you discover a customer's need? >> Well, you know, we've done a lot this year. We talked a little bit about our one side of our business has really grown with COVID. And we had to decide are we going to invest in equipment? Which since our business grew, we needed more capacity.
So we did invest in equipment. We've also hired three people, which is another, you know, it's another challenge to get the right people. We have a very skilled niche workforce, but that's a huge investment. And you want to try to get the right people. But those two investments will ultimately grow our business. We're not going to grow our business unless we invest in people. And then the tools they need to get the jobs done. >> Keith: With the many challenges that comes with recruiting ideal employees, what is it about your company that attracts the passionate and talented people you employ that we've seen in this tour?
>> When we interview people or when we bring people in, we spend a lot of time with them. And they also spend a lot of time with the people they're going to work with. I always say, I can usually teach a skill, but I can't teach attitude. And I can't teach how people interact with each other. So, I mean, we actually watch how the interaction goes and how people, we also have some perks. We have a pretty easy schedule for people.
If they need time off in the morning or time off in the afternoon, we can let them shift. Some people start early. Some people like to start late and they stay late. We allow for that. We're small enough, we can do that. The other big perk that people like is we let pets in the offices. So we have several of us that bring our pets in. And it's not always money that drives people. And that's what we have to compete.
We have to understand that because we sometimes can't compete in that arena. >> Keith: Here in the technology space, we can misuse terms. What does it mean to be in tune with your customers? >> I'll tell people I'm old school. I've been in selling for 30 years now and it drives me crazy at some point when I see everybody still sent, well, I'll send an email, I'll send an email. I'm one of the believers in, if you're just sending emails, you're going to lose that customer because you're not actually conversing with them.
I believe wholeheartedly that you've got to be out and in front of customers. And up 'til today we still, when someone calls here, we have someone to answer the phone. It's not a answering and then start pushing numbers. So we are, and we're constantly talking with our customers. We're out meeting with them. And it might be the simple thing of, I'm making a delivery myself or my salespeople and we're making and dropping something off. And while we're there we're actually in talking to the customer, and hey, how's this running?
How's this working? And finding out what's going on. What do they need instead of waiting for them to cry for help. We're trying, hey, here's what you're doing. How can I help you get to where you want to go? I'm trying to stay ahead of that and communicate with them. >> Keith: How can potential customers reach out to you? com. >> Keith: Well, Sutters, thank you for taking the time to talk to Melissa and I. We really appreciate talking to fellow business owners out there just making it happen.
Godspeed to you and your business. com. You can find me online @ctoadvisor on Twitter, DMs are open. Talk to you next CTO Dose.
