Electro Soft, Incorporated was just named a Top 500 African American Owned Businesses in the U.S. by DiversityBusiness.com.  Over 1.2 million businesses have the opportunity to participate in a survey, which takes a comprehensive look at privately held U.S. companies.

“We are thrilled to be named to such a prestigious list”, says Jim Wallace, President and CEO of Electro Soft, Incorporated.  “There are not many African American’s in the contract manufacturing industry, so to be recognized as a top company across various industries is quite an honor”.

Electro Soft, Incorporated was named number 483 out of 500 businesses.

On September 21, 2011 Electro Soft, Incorporated celebrated 25 Years in Electronics Contract Manufacturing.  Customers, vendors, family and friends all joined us at the Talamore Country Club in Ambler, Pennsylvania for a cocktail party celebration.

President James T. Wallace, Sr., regaled guests with the story of how Electro Soft started.  While everyone knew it the story of his kitchen table, they didn’t realize it was supposed to have been a one-time job as a favor for a customer of the company that had just laid him off.  Guests loved the irony of how what Wallace thought, “would soon pass”, has grown into a 20,000 square foot facility with 30 employees.

We were honored to have Congressman Todd Stevens come and celebrate with us.  He spoke about small business in our area and mingled with guests.

It was a great event and a fun time was has by all.  Please view our Flickr page for more photos.

Thanks to an energy grant from the State of Pennsylvania, Electro Soft, Incorporated will be upgrading our lighting fixtures. Currently we are using old 8 foot flurescent lighting fixtures that are over 10 years old (at least). While the current lights still work well, LED provides better coverage at a lower price.

Current Lighting Fixtures

LED lights ESI tested for a few months

Wave soldering is a process in which many parts on a PC board assembly can be soldered at one time.  It is a unique and interesting process that we  use at Electro Soft, Incorporated for our through-hole PC Board assemblies.

How Wave Soldering Works – In Layman’s Terms

1.  The board is checked to make sure that the components are secure and lined properly;

2.  The board runs over a foam flux which coats the bottom and legs of the board;

3.  After leaving the foam flux the board is heated in order to activate the flux, remove excess flux and in order to prevent thermal shock;

4.  Lastly, the board floats over a wave of solder which coats the legs of the components and, using a chimney effect, wicks the solder up to the bottom of the PC board, to the hole.

PC Board Assembly is just one of the capabilities as Electro Soft, Incorporated.  We offer both through hole and surface mount services.  All of our automated services are fascinating to watch.  The wave soldering machine is no exception.  Here is some video footage of our machine at work this morning:

For more videos, become a fan of the Electro Soft, Incorporated Facebook page.

Customer Service Turned Ugly

Please wait for a site operator to respond.
You are now chatting with ‘Joanna’
Joanna: Thank you for choosing Avnet Express eCommerce Support. How may I help you?
Karla: I want to order MPX2100A, 25 pcs, but the balance would be on back order
Karla: can I get the 25 pcs price at 23 pcs and nix the last 2?
Joanna: No, you will have to pay the price break listed for the quantity purchased
Joanna: 23 pieces would be a higher price, and you can’t get 23 at the lower price
Joanna: The system won’t allow it
Karla: so if I put in 25 and it says that its backordered, can i later cancel the 2
Joanna: I cannot answer that at this time
Joanna: If you only need 23, then you will have to order 23 and pay that price
Karla: is there someone that i can speak to in person? a manager?
Karla: it doesn’t make sense to hold up an entire project for 2 pcs which would be backordered
Joanna: I can have one call you
Karla: and it doesn’t make sense to pay double shipping
Karla: please do
Karla : 215.***.****
Joanna: I see that you want the lower price, but the only way to do that online is to order 25
Karla: which i will do, but 25 are not in stock
Karla: and i don’t want to hold up the project for two pieces, nor do i want to pay for shipping twice
Joanna: Correct, but you still must pay the price break for the quantity you order
Karla: which i understand
Joanna: Once you place the order, we cannot make changes or adjustments so that you can get a lower price for a higher quantity
Joanna: We can’t make changes after submitting
Joanna: We would only be able to cancel the entire order
Karla: even after it ships?
Joanna: You are trying to get me to tell you how to creatively trick the system
Joanna: I cannot do that
Karla: i honestly do not want you to do that
Joanna: If you order online, you must pay the price break for the quantity you buy
Karla: where you are coming up with that, i don’t know
Karla: i am not trying to place an order online
Karla: i am looking up the prices online in order to place a hardcopy order
Joanna: Well, you want to enter the 25 for the lower price, then ship 23 and cancel parts you never intended to take
Karla: after being in business for 25 years i am not trying to “trick” anyone
Karla: i would take them if they were in stock
Joanna: If you want to negotiate price, you can contact Sales at 800-332-8638
Joanna: I cannot do this online for a web purchase
Joanna: If you are not intending to buy online, then Sales is your best bet to buy
Karla: I am very disappointed in this IM experience
Karla: you accused me of trying to trick the system and that was uncalled for
Karla: i don’t know how your system works, i was merely trying to find a way to get the parts that i needed and was willing to pay for the additional quantity
Karla: Your company will be hearing from me
Karla: especially after the many years Electro Soft, Inc has been a loyal customer of Avnet

Let me back up.  I would not have even contacted Avnet had the RFQ that I had sent on Monday been returned to me in the promised 24-hour time span.  I HAD to contact them after 48-hours of waiting.  I spoke to a representative who told me that a hard copy of my quote was on it’s way.  I am still waiting on that quotation, by the way.  I finally broke down and looked up each individual item online, which is why I wound up in an instant message war of words with Joanna.  What happened after the call was a tweet:

I went online to their blog and tried to post the commentary, however it hung in moderation.  Within a half hour I was contacted by Bethany at Avnet (via Twitter).  She apologized and asked me to call her.  Bethany was very kind and I explained to her the entire situation.  She got in contact with the online manager who called me directly and apologized on behalf of Joanna.  While I appreciated these women calling and expressing their concern, it opened my eyes to how large organizations can have the best of intentions with social media and customer service, yet the people who are called to execute it oftentimes fail.  Its something we at Electro Soft strive to never do.

The industrial marketplace is still catching on to social media and how it fits in their respective companies.  It is an industry of scientists and engineers who rely on data analysis in order to move forward, but in this era of instantaneous everything, they can and will get left behind.  I love the fact that companies like Avnet and even Electro Soft are pioneering the way.  We are creating the data and evidence, we are a part of the case studies that prove that social media can work in this area of business.  It allows us to interact with our vendors, customers and potential customers.   It gives our companies a sense of human-ness that sometimes doesn’t exist.  And while my war of words with Joanna didn’t go so well, my hope is that we can learn from our interactions and mistakes in an effort to create a solid foundation for those to follow.

Does your business participate in social media?  How do you serve your customers?

1.  Proximity – Most companies who are starting a new project with a new company want a contract manufacturing firm that is close enough to drive to.  This is important for site surveys and material shortages.  You want to have the ability to react quickly and regional companies provide you with a little more agility when time is a factor.

2.  Type and Age of Equipment – Contract manufacturers sell time.  You want a company that has the ability to run a job using technology, when possible.  Pick-and-place machines, reflow ovens and wave soldering equipment are just a few staples.  If the company has them are they well maintained?  Do they make capital equipment investments?  Is the technology old or outdated?

image courtesy of Karl-Martin Skontorp

3.  Certification of Operators – Request information about the PCB Assembly operators at the company.  Are they certified in the latest standards that are mandated by your company and/or product?  If not, how far away are they from attaining the proper credentials?  Are they willing to complete the needed requirements?

4. Quality Standards - ISO 9001:2008 should be the minimum standard that a company has established for its business.  Various industries require that their companies and/or subcontractors have the same.  Is the contract manufacturer certified in all of the necessary standards?  If the company is willing to obtain the proper standard for your company, are you willing to invest a minimum amount of business with that manufacturer?

5.  Delivery – Is the company able to turn a job at your specified quantity in a reasonable amount of time?  Is the job too big for them to handle?  Do they ship off-shore for large jobs?  Are all of the parts in stock or readily available?

6.  ESD Controls - With today’s ICs, its very important to protect your products.  ESD in contract manufacturing is an important topic that we have discussed in the past.

7.  In-house Purchasing/TurnKey - Does the manufacturer have a purchasing department that can source your materials?  Do they have partnerships with vendors that cause the price to be driven down?  Do they have the knowledge to locate and obtain possible substitutions in the case of obsolescence?  Are they capable of turning your drawings into fruition with little to no involvement from your company?

8.  Price – Is the company’s labor rate commensurate with the industry?  What is included in the price?  Are they a lot higher/lower than other companies?  Make sure that you have an apples to apples comparison as the bottom line price may not include some integral pieces.

9.  Training – Does the company value continuing education when it comes to it’s staff?  Are their skills monitored and measured?  Are trainers brought in to enhance the staff’s skill set?  How often is this done?

10.  Age of the Business – We were once a start up and it was tough to get an opportunity, but after 25 years of experience in this area of business, we now have a body of work and a reputation that speaks for itself.  There aren’t many scenarios that we haven’t seen or solved.  Ask the potential manufacturing partner questions such as:  what was the longest running contract that they have had?  Which client have they had the longest?  What was the most complicated project issue that they have faced while in business?

These questions will put you on the road to selecting a quality PB Board Assembly house.  Are there any others that you can think of?

Having started is business 23 years ago, Jim is considered a true success story.  Growing up in Ambler, Pennsylvania, he was the eldest of 5 children.  Academically talented in the areas of science and mathematics, Jim was awarded a full scholarship to Millersville University which he turned down in order to join the Air Force’s efforts in Vietnam.  Upon his return, Jim enrolled in Montgomery County Community College where he earned an associates degree in Physics.  He then enrolled in the Pennsylvania State University and earned a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering.

After having careers in both Mechanical and Electrical Engineering for companies like: Geometric Data and Smithkline, he found himself laid off.  Customers of the defunct company contacted Jim to make an integral cable that was deemed necessary for their product line.  That one cable built on his kitchen table was how Electro Soft, Incorporated was born.  Twenty-three years later Jim is being recognized for his journey.

If you are interested in attending the awar ds ceremony, it will be held on Thursday, August 5, 2010 at 7:30 AM at the Crystal Team Room in the Wannamaker Building.  Details here.