Focal Point is a Chicago-based family owned and operated architectural lighting manufacturer that focuses on creating great luminaire designs that stand the test of time.  Their mission is to deliver beautifully simple forms to complete customers' architectural statements and optimal illumination to comfortably define the space and its purpose.

Focal Point believes that great lighting isn’t just about meeting technical design requirements. It’s about people. It’s about creating a more beautiful, functional environment wherever people live, work or gather. They are proud to call themselves lighting people – an independent provider of sustainable, American-built lighting products that make a difference for beautiful architectural spaces and the people who inhabit them. 

Chicago Draft Style began life as a frothy, creamy, rich root beer, formulated specifically to appeal to the tastes of Chicagoans, and to emulate the feel of this great city. At first it was produced only in kegs for local colleges and special events. However, a fierce demand for this craft style soda rapidly grew and became so overwhelming, the owners decided to put it in bottles, expand the brand portfolio, and make it available to everyone.

Chicago Draft Style has quickly become an essential part of “The Chicago Experience” with its rapid growth and a meteoric rise in popularity, Chicago Draft Style can now be found in retail outlets, restaurants, hotels, and wholesalers all over the city and its suburbs. And, is the featured beverage at the Willis Tower and the 103rd floor Sky Deck.

Written by Dimitrios Saranteas, IMEC Technical Specialist

In 1953, Honeywell introduced the T87 Round Thermostat - a ubiquitous and easily recognized device due to its classic round shape. It was easy to manufacture, easy to install, reliable and easy to use. To this day, Honeywell still manufactures a variant of this thermostat (the CT87 is the current model). 

Written by Jim Dunbar, IMEC Marketing Coordinator

What methods are you or your marketing team employing to achieve the highest ROI? How are you using your skills and time to be most efficient?

You are more than likely in a position where you, a small team or a single employee, are tasked with multiple with duties including marketing outreach.  If you are like most other small companies, you have a web presence, post on some social media sites and maybe even compose a newsletter.

You can spend a lot of time and money to market your products but do you really know what’s getting you the best results? The ultimate goal is to generate more revenue.

Forster Tool and Manufacturing Company has taken pride in being a women-owned business, and demonstrated its commitment to clients seeking precision custom machining services for more than 50 years.  Forster Tool and Manufacturing is ISO 9001:2015 AND AS9100D certified.  They are a client success for thinking strategically and positioning themselves for future successes with IMEC's help.

Situation

With an ever-growing increase in global competition, Forster Tool and Manufacturing Company was losing high volume, low margin work overseas. Clients were developing warehouses and sourcing parts globally. Forster needed a new strategy for higher margin domestic work, and quickly. Additionally, the company knew their impending upgrade to ISO 9001:2015 would require a deeper analysis of risks and rewards –creating a perfect opportunity to explore their larger strategic vision for the future.

Written by Mary Hallock, IMEC Technical Specialist and OSHA Authorized Trainer

UPDATE (12/1/17) – OSHA has extended the deadline to December 15 for electronic reporting of injuries and illnesses.

ATTENTION: The OSHA electronic reporting of injury and illness records has gone into effect!

Certain employers are required to submit information from their completed 2016 Form 300A electronically from July 1, 2017 to December 1, 2017. Establishments with 250 or more employees that are currently required to keep OSHA injury and illness records, and establishments with 20-249 employees that are classified in certain industries with historically high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses. Most manufacturers fall into those certain industries.

Written by Andrea Olson, MSC and CEO of Prag’madik

We all know change is inevitable. There's also been a lot of talk, especially in the manufacturing sector, about impending disruptions, or creating disruption to transform the industry. No one wants to be disrupted, or caught off guard when something new comes along and upends your business. You can't predict the future, but you can protect your organization from disruption through change.

What do we mean by change? Change doesn't have to be massive. Change can be small. Incremental. Change is the basis for which every successful business operates. Finding new ways to do things simpler, faster, and easier. Identifying and acting upon new customer and market needs. Modernizing the way you do business. Staying open to new ideas.

Jarvis Lighting manufactures LED light fixtures for commercial applications. Their products provide bright, efficient and reliable lighting. Jarvis LED lights save energy and improve visibility and safety while also maintaining a high efficiency that reduces energy costs. An incredibly long lifetime means virtually no maintenance, increasing the savings. Jarvis Lighting’s products have an innovative design with the goal of providing maximum value to the customer. Some of their top products include LED Flood Lights, LED Wall Mounted Security Lights, LED Parking Lot Lights, and LED Gas Station Lights.

Abbey Metal Services can be counted on for all custom fabrication and tank repair needs!  The company has been helping commercial and industrial customers for 57 years with everything from tanks and linings to welding and fabrication.  Abbey Metal Services's specialties are lining, welding, rubber lining and fabrication in steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and copper.

As a member of the American Welding Society, the company offers quality products and services according to customers' precise specifications at competitive pricing.  Abbey Metal Services is committed to meeting customers' needs and even offers on-site repair and installation services.  The south side fabrication and welding shop can do anything from fabricate metals from drawings to helping with a design.  

SOLID Development Corp was founded in 2012 with a vision to help people make their dream products. Originally based in Chicago, SOLID moved to Evanston in 2016 and owns one of only a few industrial properties in the area. SOLID has recently expanded the services it offers to include manufacturing, packaging and order fulfillment. These expanded services have helped SOLID become a one-stop solution to help our customers reach the finish line.

SOLID offers product design and manufacturing as a service.  They help their customers reach the finish line by overcoming obstacles such as technical problems, cost concerns, low manufacturing volumes or delivering finished product to customers. SOLID Development Corp has helped design numerous products from commercial infrastructure, surgical instruments, home and office goods and many others.