Manufacturing Solutions
Manufacturing Solutions
by Art Edelstein
For manufacturing companies who need help when orders exceed capacity, or for companies who do not want to invest in equipment for part of their manufacturing assembly work Manufacturing Solutions in Hyde Park has the answer.
The company, in business eight years, does subcontracting, primarily assembling parts. MS, started by Garret Hirchak, has an impressive list of clients. They include Concept 2 in Morrisville, a leading manufacturer of rowing machines and carbon fiber oars, Blodgett Ovens in Burlington, Vasa Swim Trainer in Essex, making fitness equipment, and Coolfront in Ferrisburg, a snow sled manufacturer. For each of these companies Manufacturing Solutions does assembly and welding work.
Business here has been so good that the company has grown 100 percent in the past 18 months Hirchak reports. There are now 50 employees at the companys two locations in Hyde Park and Morrisville, where MS occupies 32,000 square feet of space in the former Quality Control Stitching Company building. Hirchak moved part of his operation there in July.
Hirchak formerly worked at Concept 2 and was a quality control supervisor. Because that company was so successful, he said, when their orders outpaced production then I got into the business of contract assembly.
Hirchak started modestly with four employees. In the past 18 months the company doubled its work crew from 25 employees. Hirchak said that is due to more work from Concept 2 and the acquisition of both Blodgett and Cool Front accounts last spring.
From his vantage point Hirchak thinks at least one segment of Vermonts manufacturing economy is doing well, and that is in recreational equipment.
It seems like Vermont manufacturers are getting a lot of orders and thats why we are growing so much.
Today annual sales are in the $1 million-$2 million range. He has a dedicated client base of four and picks up work from others as the need arises.
We get clients through word of mouth and networking, he said.
Hirchak is upbeat. Business is really good, we are very busy. Part of his success, he admits, is that MS works for successful businesses. Also, he said, his company has found a good niche in manufacturing.
There are not that many companies doing assembly work, he said. I was fortunate to start with a good client and base of work. I was able to build a critical mass.
Hirchak likes his Lamoille County location. Its good being a business here, he said. We are centered to some of the more outlying areas. There seems there is a lot going on here in the (Morrisville) Industrial Park.
Yet there are problems and he has found a solution.
According to Hirchak his company faces the challenge of retaining and finding employees even with a $10 per hour average pay rate. To meet this challenge, the company works with Johnson State College to bring in students who might need part-time work. The company pays an hourly wage and tries to have flexible work schedules to accommodate the students, and non-student workers as well.
The future looks good, said Hirchak. It seems solid and moving consistently in a favorable direction. Most of our managers are homegrown and we are learning as we go. This gives us a chance to refine our operation.
