Image source: National Institute of Standards and Technology image gallery
NorthwestTAAC supports companies working in cutting-edge industries, including companies in the optical and photonics industry. The optics and photonics industry manufactures mirrors, lenses, telescopes, microscopes, lasers, and fiber optics for the defense, life sciences, and consumer electronics sectors.
One NorthwestTAAC client has manufactured optics and photonics parts for various industries for over a decade. This company faced business challenges, including international trade competition from overseas competitors.
As a result of the challenges, sales decreased, and the company had a minor decrease in employment.
The firm contacted NorthwestTAAC and crafted a plan to maintain industry leadership while expanding its product offerings.
The company selected the project and consultants they wanted to work with using $75,000 from the NorthwestTAAC and the U.S. Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF) program.
The company focused on investing in operations to expand its offering to customers and maintain its leadership in the industry.
They also invested in marketing to better communicate with customers from different sectors and upgraded their IT systems to improve control of the production process.
“We nearly doubled employment and sales (in a) year; profitability is off the charts! And much of it has to do with the TAAF (projects),” according to the company owner.
The company rebuilt sales and continued designing world-class, U.S.-made optics and photonics products.