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5.2 Million

The number of Americans employed by majority-owned U.S. affiliates of foreign companies in 2010.

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NIST MEP

Montana Instruments is a Bozeman, Montana firm that manufactures state-of-the-art optical and cryogenic research equipment. The Cryostation product breaks performance barriers that allows new research and also makes low temperature research simpler and less time-consuming. In less than two years from the company’s start, it evolved from an R&D (research and development) project to a company commercializing with seven employees. It now has 10 employees and projections of $5 million in sales.

Montana Instruments is a Bozeman, Montana firm that manufactures state-of-the-art optical and cryogenic research equipment. The Cryostation product breaks performance barriers that allows new research and also makes low temperature research simpler and less time-consuming. The system operates at temperatures approaching absolute zero where all nano-scale motion stops. The Cryostation’s minimal vibration enables researchers to more accurately measure results and draw more precise conclusions. Such research has the potential to lead to nano-size semiconductors of totally new materials created in a lab, with entirely new applications. Its capabilities and features make it attractive to a wider audience, expanding the market of cold-research.

In less than two years from the company’s start, it evolved from an R&D (research and development) project to a company commercializing with seven employees. It now has 10 employees and projections of $5 million in sales.

In the early stages, Montana Instruments' founder spent months interviewing researchers around the world about how they use their equipment to determine what they wanted and what they needed. He wanted to gain knowledge about how they use cryogenic systems and what could make one better. In a few years, the company had progressed to actively marketing its product and preparing for a steady production rate to not only keep up with demand but also to increase sales. For a technology product, a focus on the customer is critical not only during the design phase but also during the marketing phase. New perspective was needed to see the product’s value through customers’ eyes, by identifying why different features are valuable to them. To reach its niche market effectively the company needed a strategic marketing plan, a clear customer message and support pieces to attract buyers.

The firm sought expertise from the B2B Marketing Program, a collaboration of Montana Manufacturing
Extension Center(MMEC), an MSU College of Engineering outreach center and NIST MEP affiliate, and the Montana Department of Commerce (DOC). The B2B marketing specialist worked with the company’s Business Development Officer, who had previously been a technology company owner, to bring customer perspectives to marketing and instruction on sales strategy. After defining the product value for customers, the pair collaborated in writing a selling script for cold calling; segmenting potential customers by specialty; identifying a target market; and characterizing the best customer. The Montana Instruments tag line “Cold Science Made Simple,” is an outcome of B2B marketing meetings. MMEC/DOC B2B taught strategies for trade show setup, promotional ideas, how to engage new customers, and to keep the message simple and clear. The creative ideas for trade show exhibitions have helped attract traffic to the Montana Instruments exhibit booth, visually demonstrating the differences between the Cryostation and competitor products in attention-getting ways.

The growth project was delivered in tandem with an MMEC engineering project that provided Lean Manufacturing guidance, procedures to achieve repeatability, and plug and play metrics to reduce rework. This project enabled the company to meet growth head on by planning and managing production efficiently and delivering products on time even as sales increase. With a marketing strategy and messaging in place and improved production
and management tools, Montana Instruments is poised for growth.

Results: Grew sales to $5M in 3 years; added 3 employees; created a strategic marketing plan and branding campaign; increased company's online presence.

MMEC’s program demonstrated approaches that really work for a small company on a limited budget. They helped simplify the message, communicate value and made it concise. http://www.nist.gov/mep

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As a second generation owner of a steel company, some might say that entrepreneurship flows through Russell E. Robertson’s blood. His company, American Steel Placers, Inc. is located in San Bernardino, CA and has contracts with city, county and state agencies to supply and place rebar (reinforcement steel) for concrete structures.

As a second generation owner of a steel company, some might say that entrepreneurship flows through Russell E. Robertson’s blood. His company, American Steel Placers, Inc. is located in San Bernardino, CA and has contracts with city, county and state agencies to supply and place rebar (reinforcement steel) for concrete structures.

Created in 2004, American Steel Placers specializes in bridge construction, community public works and commercial buildings.

As a child, he watched his mother’s strength raising four children alone and managing the company she worked for in the male-dominated steel industry. By the time Robertson was 14 years old, his mother had bought out the stock to become majority owner at Puget Sound Steel after the owner died. She operated the company for 12 years in Seattle, where Robertson worked in the evenings after school for four years. He later moved to Los Angeles continuing in the steel business building bridges.

However, the entrepreneurial call became irresistible. Unlike many entrepreneurs who are motivated by the need to control their own destiny, leave a family legacy or simply make money, Robertson was motivated by the intense needs he saw in his community.

“Starting out, I made more money working than I did with my company,” Robertson said. “I was working for the largest steel company in the U.S. as a foreman. I was there for 25 years. Something pushed me to start the business.”

When he launched out on his own, he started with four employees and $100,000 in revenues. Today, seven years later, he has 30 employees and the firm generates between $5 to $10 million.

“I attribute the growth to really good people,” he said. “We run on very low overhead and we multi-task everyone.”

He also credits the MBDA Native American Business Enterprise Center (NABEC) for guiding and assisting him along the way.

“I wouldn’t be where I am now if it weren’t for them,” Robertson said. “I found them by chance on the internet when I was looking for help. I’ve worked with the California MBDA NABEC since I started in 2004 with Curtis Feaster and they are still helping me.”

“The MBDA NABEC helped me with lending contacts with certain municipalities. They introduced me to the American Indian Chamber of Commerce, and introduced me at ‘meet and greets’ with certain agencies so I was able to make contacts and bid on work. Once they saw our work, the relationship developed from there.”

“I wouldn’t have had a chance to get my foot in the door without them.”

American Steel Placers now has a facility on four and a half acres with four overhead gantry cranes for lifting heavy metal for fabrication, and two automated reinforcing shear lines.

Robertson attributes his persistence and drive to his mother, who is a full-blood American Indian. “She would never let circumstances stop her. She had it rough.”

He has used his good fortune to help others by supporting orphanages in Burma, Southeast Asia, and Africa through his church. In addition, he supports his church’s mobile medical unit that does basic health checks, and its food bank which feeds 5,000 families a month in San Bernardino County – the largest food distribution in the county according to Robertson. He also supports a training program that helps people transition off welfare services.

“I thought if I had money I could help out more. That’s why I started the business.”

Just as important as it is to be a success in business, Robertson said he strives to be just as successful in life by living by the motto, “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.”

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