Featured Projects

Sullivan, Basinet, Bongo (SBB) Inc. designs, engineers, manufacturers, and installs components for controlled environments.  SBB’s products are used in a variety of markets that require “clean rooms” or where environmental controls are critical, such as pharmaceutical, biosciences, optics, and semiconductor manufacturing industries.  Although SBB has existed in the Syracuse region since the 1980’s, the company has capitalized on several opportunities in recent years, including the growth of the NY nanotech sector, and is currently in growth mode itself.   In order to improve quality, speed of product delivery to clients, and cost efficiencies, SBB has been transitioning their operations to incorporate more steps of their highly technical and custom production process in house.  To that end, SBB acquired a struggling Syracuse-based sheet metal company, formed a partnership with a German company to co-market complete clean room packages to the North American pharmaceutical market, and relocated into new, larger space near a company that plays a key role in their supply chain. 

Remington Arms is a world renowned manufacturer of sporting and military firearms and accessories that operates four plants nationally with one in Ilion, NY. The Ilion site recently made some significant investments in new computer numeric controlled (CNC) machining equipment to facilitate production. The new higher tech equipment, however, required an upgrade in skills for the facility’s production workers, who are represented by the United Mine Workers of America Local #717.

Prior to the purchase of the new equipment, a Production Machinist might be expected to make one cut and pass the product on to the next machinist, who would then take the next step. By contrast, the new equipment requires workers to take careful measurements, make several calculations, and perform 8-10 more precise cuts before passing the firearm on to the next phase of production. In order to operate the new equipment, a CNC Machine Operator must pass an entrance exam that requires a certain level of shop math expertise. Remington Arms approached WDI for assistance in bringing a math course on site to production workers to help prepare them for the CNC Machine Operator exam. Using an Instructor from the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES, the program was run before or after all three work shifts to ensure that all production workers interested in the program would have an opportunity to participate in it. While enrollment was initially projected at 30, actual enrollment and completions stood at 68, underscoring the interest in the program on the part of the workforce. To date, 8 workers have been promoted to CNC Level 1 Machine Operator and more promotions are expected.

Remington Arms Human Resources Director John Bates notes that the course resulted in a higher level of employee confidence, allowing workers to apply for jobs for which they previously thought they could not qualify. The ability to operate the new higher tech equipment also resulted in other efficiencies such as reduced scrap and a higher quality of finished parts. Mr. Bates also notes that the quality of the program run by the BOCES Instructor and her accessibility both on site and for follow-up questions/homework help were key factors in the success of the program. The company plans to run a similar program with assistance from WDI in the near future.

General Composites Inc., located in Willsboro, NY is a manufacturer of high performance composite component parts for medical, recreational and industrial markets. The company was founded in 1987 and became a contract manufacturer and design service business for composite components. General Composites partners with other businesses that manufacture and market various products. A recent example is their partnership with Crawford High Performance Composites, a company that manufactures a new type of wheel, Softwheel, which revolutionized the wheel through the use of in-wheel suspension for wheelchairs and other applications. The Softwheel was featured on the Discovery Channel; General Composites manufactures composite hubs for the Softwheel.

During the last 20 years, much of the company’s innovation was driven by its founder, who is preparing to retire. Looking ahead, General Composite’s management realized there was a need to build a culture of innovation throughout the entire organization, so that the business will continue to thrive and grow in the years ahead.

Through a collaborative effort with CITEC, North Country Community College, and WDI, General Composites ran an 8-week training program for its employees in Innovation Engineering. The goal of the project was to systemize the decision process for new product development. All employees participated in a workshop overview of the project, and then a select number of employees received Innovation Engineering Green Belt Training to prepare them to be project leaders and innovators within the company.

The focus of the training was aimed at three areas of workforce development: job retention through business expansion, promotional opportunities as the company grows, and job creation. One of the innovation projects involved implementing a new-hire training program that has reduced costs significantly via a reduction in the generation of scrap materials and improvements in other efficiencies. The cost avoidance is estimated to be over $3,000 per Production Operator and, when combined with other innovation projects, has resulted in production efficiencies that have increased sales per Operator by over 29%. The efficiencies were instrumental in fueling growth that has added seven (7) new jobs in several areas of the organization, including customer service, maintenance, machining, engineering, and production operation, bringing the company size to 34.

According to the company’s president, Mimi Lane, the training was critical to improving the vitality of General Composites during the transition to retirement of the company’s founder and longtime leader.