Plans to grow? Yes but, we like being a Boutique.
A recent customer visit included the question of where will be in five years. We responded with our revenue growth targets and the majority of our current Capital Improvement Plan has been completed. In the back of my mind, I wondered if our plans were “aggressive” enough.
Having been a coworker at numerous start-ups in the 80’s and 90’s, I am very familiar with fast business growth. Part of it was in the electronics industry and also watched as components and circuitry kept getting faster. As an early stage test equipment company, we had to stay ahead of the curve. Faster electronics always equated to heat build-up. I remember my manager in one meeting coining the old phrase, “speed kills” after a prototype tester had literally burned out. The same could be said for companies. Many of those start-ups no longer exist. One even saw its senior executives go to prison for trying to meet the pressure of continued growth.
In all the early stage, high tech medical and electronic organizations I was in, (there were six or so), growth was fast and transformative. Whether I started when the employee count was 9, 29 or 59, their internal culture changed dramatically over the coming months and years. It stands to reason, as the skill set needed to get through start-up is different that the skill set for sustained production. The culture change was dramatic enough that eventually, I would keep listening to the other end of the phone when recruiters called.
PlastiCert is by no means a start-up, we’ve been around for 40+ years. We have seen growth; we’ve averaged 20% over the last 6 years. Yet our goals are not as focused on revenue growth as maintaining our mission and business model. We provide customers with composite injection molding expertise even though their needs are hundreds to thousands of parts, not millions. Our target OEM customers are engineering driven, familiar with thermoplastics but need materials expertise and value add. They are looking for a supplier that can not just make parts but provide customized service and be a resource for them to accomplish their mission.
When I thought about our business model, a recent article I had seen came to mind. Talking about how, in the age of Amazon and Big Box online retail, the establishment of retail boutiques has grown. A business model that emphasizes service, quality over quantity, highly knowledgeable staff that can provide personal attention and service.
When reading this, it sounded an awfully lot like what we do, but in the manufacturing arena. So, I now refer to PlastiCert as being a Boutique Manufacturer. Offering technical expertise, value added service, emphasizing small to medium volume over high volume. Always keeping an eye on that mission. Because growth to the point of not being able to stick to our mission would be counterproductive.
So, while growth is a byproduct of success, our plan is to stay a boutique manufacturer. Be there for the OEM that requires small and medium volume AND wants to be listened to. A supplier that collaborates on the OEM’s ideas and provides a level of service that helps them be successful at what their goals are. Sound like what you are looking for? Read our testimonials, it is exactly what we do. Give us a call, we are here to not just make your parts but provide the level of service you need and quite frankly deserve.