DRS Laurel Technologies works closely with its clients to ensure their products can be effectively manufactured and reproduced.

Quality assurance strategies might vary across manufacturing industries, but for companies supplying sensitive equipment to the military, the durability and reliability of a product cannot come into question. DRS Laurel Technologies stands by its products, and says customer service and quality are always at the forefront of the company.

The Johnstown, Pa.-based company supplies 98 percent of its products to the military, providing contract manufacturing of hardware, shipboard displays, ruggedized computers and a number of related electronics products. Although its primary end-user is the military, the company also develops a variety of non-military electronics that are built to withstand harsh conditions.

‘Productization’ Specialty
The company’s primary strength in the market is what Vice President of Business Development Russ Clark calls “productization.” The company helps its clients modify their designs and prototypes to create a more efficient manufacturing process for the product.

“Even though we’re strictly a manufacturing company, we provide related engineering and supply chain management services, as well,” Clark says.

Although many organizations stress quality assurance, DRS Laurel Technologies’ employees understand the importance of meeting the needs of its biggest client – the American war fighter.

“Since our equipment is used primarily by the military, everything has to work the first time, every time, and in very harsh environments,” Clark says. “People could lose their lives if our products don’t work correctly.”

In addition to ISO 9001:2000 certification, the company is AS9100 Revision B certified. “AS9100 provides 25 amplifications and clarifications to ISO, and is a quality assurance program geared specifically to the aerospace industry,” Clark explains.

Clark says employees companywide embrace their responsibility to customers, and work hard to provide unmatched service. “We go out of our way to be there when our customers need us,” Clark explains. “What sets us apart in this industry is our people.”

Customer service is paramount to the company, and it guarantees a quick response to repair problems with equipment. “We provide full-service repair and overhaul services, and can provide repairs to our equipment in the field, as well,” Clark explains. “We basically focus on doing whatever our customers need, when they need it and as fast as we can. We’re committed to our products and making sure they operate as they should.”

However, providing top-notch customer service in a high-pressure industry is not always easy. The company has been hit with “price pressure from both sides,” according to Clark. While customers consistently demand lower prices, suppliers have been raising theirs.

The company has responded by focusing on eliminating excess costs in-house. “We’ve become very active in the lean program,” Clark says. “We’ve been on that journey for about three years, [and we’ve] managed to eliminate 25 steps in our cable marking area, for example.

“The company also reduced its manufacturing floor space for marking from 2,000 to 700 square feet, and doubled its weekly production of one of its key molded cable products using the same number of people by re-laying out the production flow,” Clark says. “All employees, from the boss to the newest production worker, have been trained in the principles of lean and the relentless pursuit in eliminating waste.”

Its ability to overcome obstacles has enhanced its competitive position, and has allowed the company to enjoy double-digit growth in recent years, Russ asserts. “We’ve grown significantly, and we’re getting better every day,” he adds.

The company provides ongoing training opportunities for people looking to advance internally. “We have a combination of formal and on-the-job training to help our employees enhance their skills, and they appreciate this,” he says. “When I started [here] in 1996, we had only about 45 employees, whereas today, we have 726. This is meaningful work that our employees are very proud of.”